建物・設備

建築けんちく家かになりたくて、大学だいがくで設計せっけいを学まなんでいる。

I want to become an architect, so I'm studying design at university.

Usage 建築 is architecture as a field or a style: 建築家 (architect), 建築中 (under construction), 木造建築 (wooden architecture). For the act of putting up infrastructure, use 建設.

Remember it 建 (to build) + 築 (to construct) → the art of putting buildings up.

新あたらしい橋はしの建設けんせつが来年らいねん始はじまる。

Construction of the new bridge starts next year.

Usage 建設 = building something large: 建設する, 建設会社, 建設現場 (construction site). It also works figuratively: 平和な社会を建設する.

Remember it 建 (to build) + 設 (to establish) → put it up and set it in place.

この家いえは有名ゆうめいな建築家けんちくかが設計せっけいした。

This house was designed by a famous architect.

Usage 設計 is design in the engineering sense — buildings, machines, systems: 設計図 (blueprint), 人生設計 (life plan). Graphic or fashion design is デザイン.

Remember it 設 (to set up) + 計 (to plan) → the planning done before anything is built.

工事こうじは地元じもとの会社かいしゃが施工せこうします。

A local company will carry out the construction work.

Usage 施工 is doing the building work on site, as opposed to 設計 (designing it). 施工業者 = the contractor. Usually read せこう; しこう also occurs.

Remember it 施 (to carry out) + 工 (work) → carrying the work out on site.

道路どうろ工事こうじのため、この道みちは通とおれません。

This road is closed because of roadworks.

Usage 工事 = construction or repair work: 工事中 (under construction), 水道工事, 工事現場. The 工事中 sign is everywhere in Japan.

Remember it 工 (work) + 事 (matter) → the business of working on something.

建物たてものの土台どだいがしっかりしているか調しらべる。

They check whether the building's foundation is solid.

Usage 土台 is a building's physical foundation, and also a figurative base: 信頼が土台になる (trust is the foundation). 基礎 is the more abstract 'basics'.

Remember it 土 (earth) + 台 (stand) → the earth-stand everything else rests on.

地震じしんで家いえの柱はしらにひびが入はいった。

The pillars of the house cracked in the earthquake.

Usage 柱 = a pillar, literal or figurative: 大黒柱 (the breadwinner of a family), 一家の柱. Counted with 本. In compounds it reads ちゅう: 電柱 (utility pole).

Remember it 木 (tree) + 主 (master) → the master tree that holds the house up.

天井てんじょうを見上みあげると太ふとい梁はりが見みえた。

Looking up at the ceiling, I could see a thick beam.

Usage 梁 is the horizontal beam spanning between pillars (柱). Old houses often leave the 梁 exposed as a feature.

Remember it A 柱 stands upright; a 梁 lies across. The wood that bridges the gap.

この部屋へやの壁かべは薄うすくて隣となりの音おとがよく聞きこえる。

The walls of this room are thin, so you can hear the neighbours clearly.

Usage 壁 = a wall, and also an obstacle: 壁にぶつかる (to hit a wall), 言葉の壁 (the language barrier). An outdoor wall around a property is 塀.

Remember it 土 sits at the bottom of the character — the oldest walls were packed earth.

床ゆかに座すわって話はなすのが好すきだ。

I like sitting on the floor to talk.

Usage 床 read ゆか is the floor. Read とこ it means a bed: 床につく (to turn in), 寝床. And 床屋 (とこや) is a barber's.

Remember it 广 (a building) over 木 (wood) → the wooden surface inside a building.

台風たいふうで屋根やねの瓦かわらが飛とんでしまった。

The roof tiles blew off in the typhoon.

Usage 屋根 = roof: 屋根裏 (attic), 一つ屋根の下で暮らす (to live under one roof).

Remember it 屋 (building) + 根 (root) → the house's 'root', oddly placed on top.

屋上おくじょうから街まちの夜景やけいが見みえる。

You can see the city's night view from the rooftop.

Usage 屋上 is a flat roof you can walk on: 屋上庭園 (roof garden), デパートの屋上. The roof structure itself is 屋根.

Remember it 屋 (building) + 上 (top) → on top of the building.

地下ちか一階いっかいに食品しょくひん売うり場ばがある。

The food hall is on the first basement floor.

Usage 地下 = underground: 地下鉄 (subway), 地下街, 地下水. デパ地下 is the famous food floor under a department store.

Remember it 地 (ground) + 下 (below) → below ground.

エレベーターが故障こしょうしていたので階段かいだんを使つかった。

The lift was out of order, so I took the stairs.

Usage 階段 = stairs: 階段を上る／下りる, 非常階段 (emergency stairs). 段 alone is a step or a level.

Remember it 階 (floor) + 段 (step) → the steps between floors.

映画館えいがかんでは非常口ひじょうぐちの場所ばしょを確認かくにんしておこう。

At the cinema, make sure you check where the emergency exit is.

Usage 非常 marks emergencies: 非常口, 非常階段, 非常食 (emergency rations), 非常ベル. The green running-man exit sign was designed in Japan.

Remember it 非常 (not normal) + 口 (opening) → the opening you use when things aren't normal.

荷物にもつを通路つうろに置おかないでください。

Please don't leave luggage in the aisle.

Usage 通路 = a passage or aisle: 通路側の席 (aisle seat) on a plane or train. A corridor inside a building is 廊下.

Remember it 通 (to pass through) + 路 (road) → the road you pass along.

玄関げんかんのチャイムが鳴なったので急いそいで出でた。

The doorbell rang at the entrance, so I hurried out.

Usage 玄関 is the sunken entryway where shoes come off — every Japanese home has one: 玄関先 (just outside the door), 玄関を出る.

Remember it 玄 (dark, mysterious) + 関 (gate) → the gate between outside and in.

家いえの周まわりに高たかい塀へいが建たっている。

A high wall stands around the house.

Usage 塀 is an outdoor wall or fence around a property: ブロック塀 (concrete block wall), 塀を乗り越える. A room's wall is 壁; a light garden fence is 垣根.

Remember it 土 (earth) on the left — an earthen barrier drawn around the property.

使つかわない道具どうぐは物置ものおきにしまってある。

Tools we don't use are kept in the storage shed.

Usage 物置 = a shed or storeroom for things you rarely use, from 物 (things) + 置く (to put). The closet built into a Japanese room is 押し入れ.

Remember it 物 (things) + 置 (to place) → the place you put things.

車くるまを車庫しゃこに入いれてから家いえに入はいった。

I put the car in the garage and then went into the house.

Usage 車庫 = a garage for parking: 車庫入れ (backing into a garage), 車庫証明 (the proof of a parking space you need to buy a car in Japan).

Remember it 車 (car) + 庫 (storehouse) → the storehouse for the car.

注文ちゅうもんした商品しょうひんはまだ倉庫そうこにある。

The goods I ordered are still in the warehouse.

Usage 倉庫 = a warehouse: 倉庫に保管する, 冷凍倉庫. The same 庫 turns up in 在庫 (stock on hand).

Remember it 倉 (granary) + 庫 (storehouse) → a big store for goods.

この工場こうじょうでは自動車じどうしゃの部品ぶひんを作つくっている。

This factory makes car parts.

Usage 工場 read こうじょう is a factory; read こうば it is a small workshop. 工場見学 (a factory tour) is a classic school trip.

Remember it 工 (work) + 場 (place) → the place where the work gets done.

弁護士べんごしの事務所じむしょで書類しょるいにサインした。

I signed the documents at the lawyer's office.

Usage 事務所 is an office for professionals — lawyers, accountants, architects — or a small firm's office. 事務 alone is clerical work: 事務員.

Remember it 事務 (clerical work) + 所 (place) → the place the paperwork happens.

駅前えきまえに新あたらしい店舗てんぽを出だす予定よていだ。

We plan to open a new store in front of the station.

Usage 店舗 is the business word for shop premises: 店舗数 (number of outlets), 実店舗 (a physical store, as opposed to online). Everyday speech uses 店 or お店.

Remember it 店 (shop) + 舗 (to spread out, to pave) → a shop laid out for business.

この町まちには子こどものための施設しせつが少すくない。

This town has few facilities for children.

Usage 施設 = a public or institutional facility: 福祉施設, 医療施設, 施設を利用する. What is installed inside one is 設備.

Remember it 施 (to carry out) + 設 (to set up) → something set up to provide a service.

この部屋へやにはキッチンの設備せつびが整ととのっている。

This room comes fully equipped with a kitchen.

Usage 設備 = fixed equipment and fittings: 設備が整う (to be well equipped), 冷暖房設備. 施設 is the building; 設備 is what is installed in it.

Remember it 設 (to install) + 備 (to provide) → installed and ready to use.

水みずが漏もれているので配管はいかんを調しらべてもらった。

Water was leaking, so I had the plumbing checked.

Usage 配管 = piping or plumbing as a system: 配管工事, 配管を交換する. The tradesperson is a 配管工.

Remember it 配 (to distribute) + 管 (pipe) → the pipes that distribute water.

テレビの裏うらの配線はいせんがごちゃごちゃしている。

The wiring behind the TV is a tangled mess.

Usage 配線 = electrical wiring: 配線をつなぐ, 配線図 (wiring diagram). Same 配 as 配管 — 配 distributes, 線 is the line it travels along.

Remember it 配 (to distribute) + 線 (line) → the lines that distribute electricity.

雨あめが強つよくて排水はいすいが間まに合あわなかった。

The rain was so heavy that the drainage couldn't keep up.

Usage 排水 = draining water away: 排水口 (drain), 排水管, 排水溝. Its opposite is 給水.

Remember it 排 (to push out) + 水 (water) → pushing the water out.

地震じしんの後あと、公園こうえんで給水きゅうすいが行おこなわれた。

After the earthquake, water was handed out at the park.

Usage 給水 = supplying water: 給水車 (water truck), 給水所. The same 給 as in 給料 (salary — what is supplied to you). Opposite: 排水.

Remember it 給 (to supply) + 水 (water) → water supplied to you.

この店みせは照明しょうめいが暗くらくて落おち着つく。

This place has dim lighting, which makes it relaxing.

Usage 照明 = lighting as a design element: 間接照明 (indirect lighting), 照明をつける. To flick a light on in daily life, say 電気をつける.

Remember it 照 (to shine on) + 明 (bright) → shining light to make things bright.

会議室かいぎしつの空調くうちょうが効ききすぎて寒さむい。

The air conditioning in the meeting room is too strong; it's freezing.

Usage 空調 is air conditioning as a building system, short for 空気調節. The unit in your room is an エアコン. 空調が効く = the AC is working.

Remember it 空 (air) + 調 (to adjust) → adjusting the air.

この店みせは内装ないそうを木きで統一とういつしている。

This shop has done its whole interior in wood.

Usage 内装 = the interior finish of a building — walls, floors, fittings: 内装工事, 内装を変える. The outside is 外装; furnishings are インテリア.

Remember it 内 (inside) + 装 (to dress) → how the inside is dressed.

外壁がいへきのペンキが剥はがれてきた。

The paint on the exterior wall is starting to peel.

Usage 外壁 = a building's exterior wall: 外壁塗装 (exterior painting), 外壁工事. Inside walls are 内壁, and a room's wall is simply 壁.

Remember it 外 (outside) + 壁 (wall) → the wall that faces outside.

子供こどもが増ふえたので家いえを増築ぞうちくした。

We had more children, so we built an extension onto the house.

Usage 増築 = adding floor space to an existing building. Compare 改築 (rebuilding what is there), 新築 (a brand-new build) and リフォーム (lighter renovation).

Remember it 増 (to increase) + 築 (to build) → building more onto what you have.

古ふるい蔵くらをカフェに改築かいちくした。

They converted an old storehouse into a café.

Usage 改築 = rebuilding or remodelling an existing structure. Compare 増築 (extending), 新築 (new build) and 修理 (repair).

Remember it 改 (to alter) + 築 (to build) → building it again, differently.

古ふるいビルの解体かいたいが始はじまった。

Demolition of the old building has begun.

Usage 解体 = taking something apart: 解体工事 (demolition). It also covers machines, organisations (会社を解体する) and even fish (マグロの解体ショー).

Remember it 解 (to undo) + 体 (body) → undoing the body of the thing.

学校がっこうの敷地しきちは広ひろくて池いけまである。

The school grounds are so large there is even a pond.

Usage 敷地 = the plot of land a building stands on: 敷地内 (on the premises), 敷地面積 (site area). From 敷く (to spread out, to lay).

Remember it 敷 (to lay out) + 地 (land) → the land laid out for the building.

高層こうそうマンションの上うえの階かいは風かぜが強つよい。

The wind is strong on the upper floors of a high-rise block.

Usage 高層 = high-rise: 高層ビル, 超高層 (skyscraper), 低層 (low-rise). 層 also means a layer or a social stratum: 若い層.

Remember it 高 (high) + 層 (layer) → layers stacked up high.

年としを取とったら平屋ひらやに住すみたい。

When I get older I want to live in a single-storey house.

Usage 平屋 = a house with only a ground floor, popular with older people because there are no stairs. A two-storey house is 二階建て.

Remember it 平 (flat) + 屋 (house) → a house that stays flat, with nothing stacked on top.