Translation guide
The English word 'bar' has many meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: a place to drink, a counter, a piece of something, a rod, a legal profession, a barrier, and a measure in music.
A place where alcoholic drinks are served, often with a counter.
The most common word for a Western-style bar. It refers to the establishment itself.
Want to go to that bar tonight?
A Japanese-style pub that serves food and drinks. More casual and often with a lively atmosphere.
会社の帰りに居酒屋に寄った。
I stopped by an izakaya on the way home from work.
Specifically the counter inside a bar where drinks are served. Use this when you want to emphasize the physical counter.
彼はバーカウンターに座ってウイスキーを飲んでいた。
He was sitting at the bar counter drinking whiskey.
A long, flat surface where drinks or food are served, or where transactions take place.
General word for a counter in a shop, café, or bar. It can also refer to a service desk.
カウンターで注文してください。
Please order at the counter.
Refers to a sales counter or section in a department store. More specific to retail.
A rectangular block or piece of a solid substance.
Used for flat, board-like pieces. Common with chocolate and soap.
板チョコを一枚食べた。
I ate a bar of chocolate.
Often used for energy bars or snack bars. It's a loanword from English.
朝食にグラノーラバーを食べます。
I eat a granola bar for breakfast.
A long, straight piece of metal or wood.
General word for a stick, rod, or pole. Can be used for many contexts.
鉄の棒を持ってきた。
He brought an iron bar.
Used in compound words like 'parallel bars' or 'horizontal bar' in gymnastics.
The profession of being a lawyer, or the group of lawyers as a whole.
Refers to the legal profession or the legal world. It's a formal term.
彼は法曹界で成功した。
He succeeded in the bar (legal profession).
The bar association, the professional organization for lawyers.
Something that blocks or prevents progress.
General word for obstacle, barrier, or hindrance. Can be physical or abstract.
言語の壁は大きな障害だ。
The language barrier is a big obstacle.
Loanword often used in compound terms like 'barrier-free' (accessible).
A segment of time in a piece of music, defined by a given number of beats.
The standard musical term for a bar or measure.
この曲は4小節のイントロから始まる。
This song starts with a four-bar intro.
In Japanese, バー usually means a Western-style bar with a counter, while 居酒屋 is a Japanese-style pub. If you say バー, people might imagine a quieter, more adult atmosphere. For a casual drinking place with food, use 居酒屋.
The toy counter is on the third floor.
The horizontal bar in gymnastics is called 'horizontal bar'.
彼は弁護士会の会長に選ばれた。
He was elected president of the bar association.
This building has a barrier-free design.