Translation guide
The English word "home" covers several distinct concepts: one's house or dwelling, one's hometown or native place, a feeling of belonging, and more. Japanese uses different words and expressions for each meaning, and direct translation is often unnatural.
Referring to the physical building where someone lives.
The most common word for house or home as a physical building. Can also refer to one's family or household.
新しい家を買いました。
I bought a new home.
家に帰ります。
I'm going home.
Formal term for one's own home or residence. Often used in official contexts.
自宅で仕事をしています。
I work from home.
A somewhat literary or formal word for dwelling or residence.
彼の住まいは都心にある。
His home is in the city center.
Referring to the town or region where one grew up or originally comes from.
The most common word for hometown or native place, often with emotional connotations.
夏休みに故郷に帰ります。
I'm going back home for summer vacation.
故郷の友達に会いました。
I met a friend from home.
Refers to one's local area or hometown, often used when talking about local products, events, or returning home.
Specifically refers to one's parents' home, the family home where one grew up.
Expressing a sense of being at home, comfortable, or belonging somewhere.
Describes a place where one feels comfortable and at ease, like home.
このカフェはとても居心地がいい。
This café feels like home.
To relax as if one were at home.
友達の家で我が家のようにくつろいだ。
I made myself at home at my friend's place.
Loanword from English, used to describe a cozy, homely atmosphere, often for restaurants or events.
アットホームな雰囲気のレストランです。
It's a restaurant with a homey atmosphere.
Referring to the base or starting point in games like baseball, or a central location.
Home plate in baseball.
ランナーが本塁に滑り込んだ。
The runner slid into home.
Loanword used in baseball and other contexts for home base or home position.
ホームランを打った。
He hit a home run.
Referring to the main or starting page of a website or app.
Standard term for a website's home page.
ホームページに戻る。
Go back to the home page.
Refers to the home screen of a smartphone or device.
While 家 (いえ) is the most direct translation for a physical house, it can sound unnatural when referring to one's hometown or a sense of belonging. Use the appropriate word for the context.
故郷 (ふるさと) is the emotional hometown, often far away. 地元 (じもと) is the local area you're from or currently in. 実家 (じっか) is specifically your parents' house.
I came back home.
地元の祭りに参加した。
I participated in my hometown festival.
I'm going home to my parents' house for the New Year.
アプリをホーム画面に追加する。
Add the app to the home screen.