Translation guide
The English word "dwelling" refers to a place where someone lives. In Japanese, the most common and natural equivalent depends on context: 住まい (sumai) is a warm, everyday word for one's home or residence; 住宅 (jūtaku) is the standard term for a house or dwelling in formal or technical contexts; 住居 (jūkyo) is a more formal or legal term for a residence. This guide helps you choose the right word based on nuance and situation.
To refer to someone's home or dwelling in a personal, warm, or everyday context.
A warm, somewhat literary word for one's home or dwelling. Often used in real estate or when talking about one's living situation with a personal touch.
新しい住まいにも慣れましたか。
Have you gotten used to your new dwelling?
彼女は素敵な住まいを持っている。
She has a lovely dwelling.
Polite form of 住まい, used when asking about someone else's dwelling or referring to it respectfully.
お住まいはどちらですか。
Where is your dwelling?
A slightly old-fashioned or poetic word for a dwelling place, often used for animals or in literary contexts.
鳥の住みかを探す。
Search for a bird's dwelling.
To refer to a dwelling as a physical structure or in formal, legal, or statistical contexts.
The most common word for a house or dwelling in formal, technical, or business contexts. Used in real estate, architecture, and official documents.
この地域には新しい住宅がたくさん建っている。
Many new dwellings are being built in this area.
住宅ローンを組む。
Take out a housing loan.
A formal or legal term for a dwelling or residence. Often used in official documents, laws, or when emphasizing the right to a dwelling.
The most common word for 'house' or 'home'. While it can mean 'dwelling', it is broader and more casual. Use when 'house' fits better than 'dwelling'.
To refer to a dwelling in an abstract, philosophical, or poetic sense.
Same reading as 住みか but often written with these kanji for a more literary or abstract feel. Can refer to a spiritual or metaphorical dwelling.
心の住処を求めて旅に出る。
Set out on a journey in search of a dwelling for the soul.
An even rarer kanji form emphasizing a living creature's dwelling, often used poetically.
住まい (sumai) is warm and personal, often used in everyday conversation or real estate ads to evoke a sense of home. 住宅 (jūtaku) is neutral and technical, the standard term for a house or dwelling in formal contexts. 住居 (jūkyo) is formal and legal, used in official documents and laws. For most casual references to someone's home, 家 (ie) is more natural than any of these.
住まいの相談はこちらへ。
For consultations about your dwelling, please come here.
住宅の耐震性が問題だ。
The earthquake resistance of dwellings is an issue.
住居表示を確認する。
Check the residence indication.
In English, 'dwelling' can sound formal or technical. In Japanese, using 住居 or 住宅 in casual conversation may sound stiff. When talking about where someone lives, 家 (ie) or 住まい (sumai) are often more natural choices.
彼の家はどこですか。
Where is his house?
新しい住まいは快適ですか。
Is your new dwelling comfortable?
適切な住宅への権利には安全な住居が含まれる。
The right to adequate housing includes a secure dwelling.
Uses both 住宅 (housing) and 住居 (dwelling) in a formal context.
He was arrested for trespassing into a dwelling.
住居を定める。
Establish a dwelling.
He lives in a big house.
I found a fox's dwelling.