How to say “room” in Japanese
Japanese people would say “heya”. It is the Japanese word for ‘room’. Very simple, I think. In this blog post, however, I will explain this word in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I will explain how it is different from the similar word, “shitsu”. Let’s get started!
Contents
Definition and meaning of “heya”
Let me start with the definition and meaning of “heya”.
- heya – 部屋 (へや) : a noun meaning ‘room’ in Japanese. This can also work as a plural noun meaning ‘rooms’. Learn more about Japanese plural.
Its definition and meaning are simple and clear. To understand this word more clearly, however, let me explain its kanji characters in detail, one by one.
“Heya” in kanji
Below are the kanji characters used in “heya”.
- 部 : a kanji character widely used to mean ‘part’, ‘section’, ‘element’, or ‘division’.
- 屋 : a kanji character widely used to mean ‘building’, ‘house’, ‘shop’, or ‘roof’.
From these two kanji characters, we can understand that “heya” literally means a part of a building. This kanji concept is in line with the meaning, I think.
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 meanings of words they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of “heya” through the detailed kanji check above.
Then, let me explain how to use “heya” through the example sentences below.
Example #1: how to say “room” in Japanese
ashita heya wo souji suru – 明日部屋を掃除する (あしたへやをそうじする)
I will clean the room tomorrow.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- ashita – 明日 (あした) : a noun meaning ‘tomorrow’ in Japanese. This can also work as an adverb. In the example, this works as an adverb to say “tomorrow” in Japanese.
- wo – を : a case particle used to make the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “heya” to make the object word in the sentence.
- souji suru – 掃除する (そうじする) : a verb meaning ‘to clean’ in Japanese.
This is a typical usage of “heya”. In the example, it works as a part of the commonly-used expression, “heya wo souji suru”, which means ‘to clean a room’ in Japanese. When we want to say “room” in Japanese, this word would be the best choice.
Next, then, let me explain another usage of “heya”.
Example #2: how to use “heya” as a counter
ashita san heya tsukai masu – 明日三部屋使います (あしたさんへやつかいます)
We will use three rooms tomorrow.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- san – 三 (さん) : a numeral meaning ‘three’ in Japanese.
- tsukai – 使い (つかい) : one conjugation of the verb, “tsukau”, which means ‘to use’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
- masu – ます : an auxiliary verb used after a verb to make it polite. Probably this is well known as a part of Japanese masu form. In the example, this is used after “tsukai” to make it sound polite.
This is another typical usage of “heya”. In this example, it follows the numeral, “san”, and works as a counter for rooms. The formed phrase literally means ‘three rooms’ in Japanese.
The similar word, “shitsu”, can also work as a counter for rooms. Let me explain its usage through the example sentence below,
Example #3: how to use “shitsu” as a counter
ashita san shitsu tsukai masu – 明日三室使います (あしたさんしつつかいます)
We will use three rooms tomorrow.
As the translation shows, this Japanese sentence has the same meaning as the last example. For me, this one sounds a bit more formal, but both sentences can be used interchangeably. Yet, this doesn’t mean that “heya” and “shitsu” can always work in the same way. “Heya” can work as an individual word and a counter and a suffix; “shitsu” cannot work alone.
Next, then, let me explain how to use “shitsu” as a suffix through the example sentence below.
Example #4: how to use “shitsu” as a suffix
ashita kaigishitsu wo tukai masu – 明日会議室を使います (あしたかいぎしつをつかいます)
We will use the meeting room tomorrow.
Below is the new word used in the example sentence.
- kaigi – 会議 (かいぎ) : a noun meaning ‘meeting’ in Japanese. This can also work as a plural noun.
This is another typical usage of “shitsu”. In this example, it works as a suffix to add the meaning of ‘room’ to “kaigi”. The formed phrase literally means ‘meeting room’ in Japanese.
As I mentioned above, “heya” can also work as a suffix, but doesn’t work well with “kaigi”. We need to pick a proper one depending on other words used together. For some words, of course, “shitsu” doesn’t work well.
Summary
In this blog post, I’ve explained “heya” in detail based on its kanji expression and how to use it through the example sentences. And also, I’ve explained the difference between “heya” and “shitsu”. Let me summarize them as follows.
- heya – 部屋 (へや) : a noun meaning ‘room’ or ‘rooms’ in Japanese. These two kanji characters literally mean a part of a building. This can also work as a counter for rooms and a suffix to add the meaning of ‘room’.
- shitsu – 室 (しつ) : a counter for rooms. This can also work as a suffix to add the meaning of ‘room’. This cannot work alone unlike “heya”.
Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.
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