What does “iriguchi” mean in Japanese?
Native speakers say “iriguchi” often to mean ‘entrance’ in Japanese. Perhaps, some Japanese learners know this word as it is sometimes used in Japanese conversations. In this blog post, however, I will explain this word in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners understand “iriguchi” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!
Contents
Definition and meaning of “iriguchi”
Let me start with the definition and meaning of “iriguchi”.
- iriguchi – 入口 (いりぐち) : a noun meaning ‘entrance’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Learn more about Japanese plural.
The definition and meaning are simple and clear. To understand this noun more clearly, however, let me explain its kanji characters in detail, one by one.
Iriguchi in kanji
The kanji expression of “iriguchi” consists of the following two kanji characters:
- 入 : a kanji character used to refer to the act of coming in.
- 口 : a kanji character used to mean ‘mouth’ in Japanese.
These two kanji characters tell us that the formed noun literally means a ‘mouth for coming in’ in Japanese. This literal interpretation is not completely in line with the actual meaning, but still understandable, I think. Entrances are often the mouths of buildings which let us come in.
When we meet new kanji expressions, we should check their kanji characters in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, kanji characters tell us a lot about the meanings of the expressions they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of “iriguchi” through the detailed kanji check above.
So far, I’ve explained the definition and meaning of “iriguchi” together with its kanji characters. Then, let me explain how to use it through the example sentences below.
Example #1: how to say “where is the entrance?” in Japanese
iriguchi wa doko desu ka – 入口はどこですか (いりぐちはどこですか)
Where is the entrance?
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “iriguchi” to make the subject in the sentence.
- doko – どこ : an interrogative pronoun meaning ‘where’ in Japanese.
- desu – です : an auxiliary verb used after a noun or adjective to make it polite. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese desu form. In the example, this is used after “doko” to make it sound polite.
- ka – か : a sentence-ending particle working to make a question. As the definition suggests, this works at the end of the example sentence to make the question.
This is a typical usage of “iriguchi”. In this example, it works as a part of the commonly-used phrase, “iriguchi wa doko desu ka”, which means ‘where is the entrance?’ in Japanese.
Example #2: another usage of “iriguchi”
are ga iriguchi desu – あれが入口です (あれがいりぐちです)
That is the entrance.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- are – あれ : a pronoun used to refer to something not close to the speaker. In the example, this is used to say “that” in Japanese.
- ga – が : a case particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “are” to make the subject in the sentence.
This is another typical usage of “iriguchi”. In this example, it works as the complement in the sentence. When we want to say “entrance” in Japanese, anyway, this noun is always a very good option.
Summary
In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meaning of “iriguchi” in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.
- iriguchi – 入口 (いりぐち) : a noun meaning ‘entrance’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. These two kanji characters literally mean a ‘mouth for coming in’ in Japanese. This literal interpretation is not completely in line with the actual meaning, but still understandable, I think. Entrances are often the mouths of buildings which let us come in.
Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.
