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Japanese House Kanji: Learn Home & Room Words in Japanese

Master Japanese house and home kanji: 家 (house), 部屋 (room), 台所 (kitchen), 窓 (window), 庭 (garden), and more. Each entry includes readings, example sentences, and cultural context about the traditional Japanese home.

Japanese House Kanji at a Glance

The Traditional Japanese Home

Traditional Japanese houses (家/ie) feature tatami rooms, sliding doors (障子/shouji), and the genkan (玄関) entrance where shoes are removed. The concept of 内 (inside) vs 外 (outside) is deeply embedded in Japanese architecture and culture.

Room Names in Japanese

Japanese room names often combine kanji descriptively: 台所 (kitchen = "stand place"), 風呂 (bath = "wind + spine"), 玄関 (entrance = "mysterious barrier"). The character 部屋 (room) literally means "section + roof."

JLPT Relevance

House kanji are essential for JLPT. Core words like 家 (house), 部屋 (room), 窓 (window) appear at N5-N4. Room-specific terms like 台所 (kitchen) and 玄関 (entrance) are common in N4-N3 reading passages and daily conversation.

Core Japanese House & Home Kanji

These twenty kanji cover essential house and home vocabulary, from rooms and structural elements to furniture and everyday household items.

MeaningKanjiHiraganaRomajiJLPT
House / Home家いえieN5
Room部屋へやheyaN5
Door戸とtoN3
Window窓まどmadoN4
Wall壁かべkabeN3
Floor床ゆかyukaN3
Roof屋根やねyaneN3
Pillar柱はしらhashiraN2
Garden庭にわniwaN4
Gate門もんmonN3
Kitchen台所だいどころdaidokoroN4
Bath風呂ふろfuroN4
Stairs階段かいだんkaidanN4
Entrance玄関げんかんgenkanN4
Key鍵かぎkagiN3
Tatami畳たたみtatamiN2
Live / Dwell住すむsumuN4
Build建たてるtateruN3
Floor / Story階かいkaiN4
Fence / Wall塀へいheiN1

All Japanese House Kanji Explained

Explore each house kanji with its readings, origin story, and example sentences used in everyday Japanese.

🏠
家
House / Home
いえ (ie)
Origin: 宀 (roof) + 豕 (pig): pigs under a roof meant prosperity; a proper home

Example:

新しい家に引っ越しました。

Atarashii ie ni hikkoshimashita.

We moved to a new house.

🚪
部屋
Room
へや (heya)
Origin: 部 (section) + 屋 (roof/building): a sectioned-off space under a roof

Example:

この部屋は広くて明るいです。

Kono heya wa hirokute akarui desu.

This room is spacious and bright.

🚪
戸
Door
と (to)
Origin: Pictograph of a single-leaf door: one of the oldest architectural kanji

Example:

戸を閉めてください。

To wo shimete kudasai.

Please close the door.

🪟
窓
Window
まど (mado)
Origin: 穴 (hole) + 心 (heart) + 公 (public): a hole that lets in light and air

Example:

窓を開けて新鮮な空気を入れましょう。

Mado wo akete shinsen na kuuki wo iremashou.

Let's open the window and let in fresh air.

🧱
壁
Wall
かべ (kabe)
Origin: 辟 (open) + 土 (earth): earth piled up to form a barrier

Example:

壁に絵を飾りました。

Kabe ni e wo kazarimashita.

I hung a picture on the wall.

🟫
床
Floor
ゆか (yuka)
Origin: 广 (roof) + 木 (tree): wooden boards laid under a roof to walk on

Example:

床がピカピカに光っている。

Yuka ga pikapika ni hikatte iru.

The floor is sparkling clean.

🏗️
屋根
Roof
やね (yane)
Origin: 屋 (roof/house) + 根 (root): the root covering of a house

Example:

台風で屋根が壊れてしまった。

Taifuu de yane ga kowarete shimatta.

The roof was damaged by the typhoon.

🪵
柱
Pillar
はしら (hashira)
Origin: 木 (tree) + 主 (master): the master tree/wood that holds up a building

Example:

大きな柱が家を支えている。

Ookina hashira ga ie wo sasaete iru.

Large pillars support the house.

🌿
庭
Garden
にわ (niwa)
Origin: 广 (building) + 廷 (court): the courtyard of a building

Example:

庭に桜の木を植えました。

Niwa ni sakura no ki wo uemashita.

I planted a cherry tree in the garden.

⛩️
門
Gate
もん (mon)
Origin: Pictograph of a double-leaf gate: the entrance to a compound or estate

Example:

大きな門の前で待ち合わせましょう。

Ookina mon no mae de machiawasemashou.

Let's meet in front of the big gate.

🍳
台所
Kitchen
だいどころ (daidokoro)
Origin: 台 (stand/platform) + 所 (place): the place with cooking platforms

Example:

台所でお弁当を作っています。

Daidokoro de obentou wo tsukutte imasu.

I'm making a bento in the kitchen.

🛁
風呂
Bath
ふろ (furo)
Origin: 風 (wind) + 呂 (spine/backbone): wind passing over the body during bathing

Example:

お風呂に入ってリラックスしましょう。

Ofuro ni haitte rirakkusu shimashou.

Let's take a bath and relax.

🪜
階段
Stairs
かいだん (kaidan)
Origin: 階 (floor/story) + 段 (step): steps between floors

Example:

階段を上がって二階に行きます。

Kaidan wo agatte nikai ni ikimasu.

I go up the stairs to the second floor.

👟
玄関
Entrance
げんかん (genkan)
Origin: 玄 (mysterious) + 関 (barrier): the mysterious barrier between outside and inside

Example:

玄関で靴を脱いでください。

Genkan de kutsu wo nuide kudasai.

Please take off your shoes at the entrance.

🔑
鍵
Key
かぎ (kagi)
Origin: 金 (metal) + 建 (build): a metal tool that secures what you've built

Example:

家の鍵をなくしてしまいました。

Ie no kagi wo nakushite shimaimashita.

I lost my house key.

🟫
畳
Tatami
たたみ (tatami)
Origin: 田 (rice field) + 冖 (cover): woven rush covering, like the pattern of rice paddies

Example:

和室には六畳の畳が敷いてあります。

Washitsu ni wa rokujou no tatami ga shiite arimasu.

The Japanese room has six tatami mats laid out.

🏘️
住
Live / Dwell
すむ (sumu)
Origin: 亻(person) + 主 (master): a person who is master of their dwelling place

Example:

東京に住んでいます。

Toukyou ni sunde imasu.

I live in Tokyo.

🏗️
建
Build
たてる (tateru)
Origin: 廴 (move forward) + 聿 (writing brush): to set up and construct, like drawing plans

Example:

新しいマンションを建てています。

Atarashii manshon wo tatete imasu.

They are building a new apartment building.

🏢
階
Floor / Story
かい (kai)
Origin: 阝(hill) + 皆 (everyone): levels that everyone climbs, like terraced hills

Example:

エレベーターで五階まで行きます。

Erebeetaa de gokai made ikimasu.

I take the elevator to the fifth floor.

🧱
塀
Fence / Wall
へい (hei)
Origin: 土 (earth) + 并 (combine): earth combined and stacked to form a boundary wall

Example:

隣との塀を新しくしました。

Tonari to no hei wo atarashiku shimashita.

We renewed the fence between us and our neighbor.

Japanese House Kanji by Category

Japanese house vocabulary can be grouped into rooms, structural elements, furniture, and outdoor spaces. Understanding these groups helps you navigate any Japanese home.

🏠
Rooms
部屋 (heya)

A traditional Japanese home has distinct rooms: 居間 (living room), 台所 (kitchen), 寝室 (bedroom), and 風呂 (bath). Many homes still include a 和室 (Japanese-style tatami room) alongside Western-style rooms.

🛋️ 居間 ima🍳 台所 daidokoro🛏️ 寝室 shinshitsu🛁 風呂 furo
🏗️
Structure
構造 (kouzou)

Japanese architectural elements have beautiful kanji: 屋根 (roof), 壁 (wall), 柱 (pillar), 床 (floor). Traditional homes use 木 (wood) as the primary material, with 瓦 (tile) roofs and 障子 (paper sliding doors).

🏗️ 屋根 yane🧱 壁 kabe🪵 柱 hashira🪟 窓 mado
🌿
Garden & Outdoors
庭 (niwa)

The Japanese garden (庭/niwa) is an extension of the home. Traditional gardens feature 石 (stones), 池 (ponds), and carefully pruned 木 (trees). The 門 (gate) marks the boundary between public and private space.

🌿 庭 niwa🚪 門 mon🧱 塀 hei🔑 鍵 kagi
🪑
Daily Home Life
生活 (seikatsu)

Home life vocabulary includes actions and objects: 住 (live/dwell), 建 (build), 階 (floor/story), 畳 (tatami). These kanji appear in apartment listings, moving conversations, and daily life in Japan.

🏘️ 住 sumu🏗️ 建 tateru🏢 階 kai🟫 畳 tatami

Traditional vs Modern Japanese Homes

Japanese homes blend ancient traditions with modern convenience. Understanding both styles helps you master housing vocabulary.

FeatureTraditional (和風)Modern (洋風)
Floor畳(tatami): woven rush mats床(yuka): hardwood or tile flooring
Door障子(shouji): paper sliding doors扉(tobira): hinged Western doors
Sleeping布団(futon): folding mattress on tatamiベッド(beddo): Western bed frame
Bathing檜風呂(hinokiburo): cypress wood tubユニットバス(yunitto basu): prefab bathroom unit
Entrance玄関(genkan): raised step entry玄関(genkan): still traditional even in modern homes
Room Style和室(washitsu): Japanese-style room洋室(youshitsu): Western-style room

House-Related Compound Words (Jukugo)

These compound words combine house kanji to create essential housing vocabulary. Many are used in real estate listings, daily conversation, and apartment hunting in Japan.

CompoundReadingMeaning
家族かぞく (kazoku)Family (household members)
家賃やちん (yachin)Rent (house + money)
住所じゅうしょ (juusho)Address (dwelling + place)
建物たてもの (tatemono)Building (build + thing)
屋上おくじょう (okujou)Rooftop (roof + above)
部屋代へやだい (heyadai)Room charge / Room rate
門前もんぜん (monzen)In front of the gate
庭園ていえん (teien)Garden (formal/landscaped)
階段かいだん (kaidan)Stairs / Staircase
引越しひっこし (hikkoshi)Moving (house)
一戸建ていっこだて (ikkodate)Detached house (single unit)
不動産ふどうさん (fudousan)Real estate (immovable property)

Tips for Remembering Japanese House Kanji

The Roof Radical (宀)

The radical 宀 (ukanmuri) means "roof" and appears in many house-related kanji: 家 (house), 室 (room), 宅 (residence), 宿 (lodge). When you see this radical, think "something under a roof."

Walk Through Your Home

Mentally walk through a Japanese home to remember room names: enter the 玄関, remove shoes, pass through the 廊下 (hallway), into the 居間, then to the 台所 for dinner, and finally the 風呂 before 寝室.

Watch Home & Lifestyle Shows

Japanese shows like Terrace House, home renovation programs, and slice-of-life anime constantly use house vocabulary. Hearing 部屋 (room), 台所 (kitchen), and 玄関 (entrance) in context makes them stick.

Collect House Cards

Use our gamified card collection to master house kanji. Earn XP, level up, and build your personal Jisho dictionary with every kanji you learn.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say house in Japanese?

House in Japanese is 家 (ie or uchi). The reading いえ (ie) refers to the physical building, while うち (uchi) often means "my home" or "my family." For example, 家に帰る (ie ni kaeru) means "to go home." The kanji 家 shows a pig (豕) under a roof (宀). In ancient China, having livestock under your roof signified prosperity and a proper home.

What are the main rooms in a Japanese house?

Key rooms include: 居間 (ima/living room), 台所 (daidokoro/kitchen), 寝室 (shinshitsu/bedroom), 風呂 (furo/bath), 玄関 (genkan/entrance hallway), and often a 和室 (washitsu/Japanese-style tatami room). Many modern Japanese homes blend Western and traditional styles, having both 洋室 (Western rooms) and 和室 (Japanese rooms).

What is a genkan and why is it important?

A genkan (玄関) is the entrance area where shoes are removed before entering the main home. The kanji mean "mysterious barrier"; it symbolizes the threshold between the outside world and the clean, private interior. Even modern apartments have a genkan. Always step up from the genkan area (which is at ground level) onto the raised floor of the home.

How do you count floors in Japanese?

Floors use the counter 階 (kai): 一階 (ikkai/1st floor), 二階 (nikai/2nd floor), 三階 (sankai or sangai/3rd floor). Note that Japan uses the same system as the US: the ground floor is 一階 (1st floor), not "ground floor" like in the UK. Basement floors are 地下一階 (chika ikkai/B1).

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