Places in Japanese // 100+ Common & Useful Words (Beginner)
Places in Japanese (Beginner Level)
Learning about places in Japanese will be our focus today!
This vocabulary article will help you navigate some common places for your next trip to Japan.
You can then spend more time on places you are most likely to visit, such as the bank or the school.
If you are a LTL Student, feel free to ask your Japanese teacher for help in learning more specific words for a given place.
Places in Japanese | Common Places
Places in Japanese | Bank
Places in Japanese | Hospital
Places in Japanese | School
Places in Japanese | University
Places in Japanese | Post office
Places in Japanese | Home
BONUS | Test your knowledge
Let’s begin with the most important word for today:
Place in Japanese is 場所 (ばしょ) Ba sho
Common Places in Japanese
Here is a list of the most common places to learn in Japanese.
If you just started learning Japanese, make sure to familiarise yourself with the three Japanese alphabets first:
Ready? Let’s go!
| English | Japanese | Hiragana script | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | 銀行 | ぎんこう | gin kō |
| Casino | カジノ | かじの | kaji no |
| Cathedral | 大聖堂 | だいせいどう | dai sei dō |
| Church | 教会 | きょうかい | kyō kai |
| City hall | 市役所 | しやくしょ | shi yakusho |
| College | 大学 | だいがく | dai gaku |
| Drugstore, pharmacy | 薬局 | やっきょく | yakkyoku |
| Embassy | 大使館 | たいしかん | taishi kan |
| Gas station | ガソリンスタンド | がそりんすたんど | gasorin sutando |
| Hospital | 病院 | びょうういん | byō-u-in |
| Hotel | ホテル | ほてる | hoteru |
| Information office | 案内所 | あんないじょ | an naijo |
| Library | 図書館 | としょかん | toshokan |
| Money exchange | 両替 | りょうがえ | ryō ga e |
| Mosque | モスク | もすく | mosuku |
| Movie theater | 映画館 | えいがかん | eigakan |
| Museum | 博物館 | はくぶつかん | haku butsukan |
| Nightclub | クラブ | くらぶ | kurabu |
| Opera | オペラ | おぺら | opera |
| Optical store | 眼鏡屋 | めがねや | meganeya |
| Parking lot | 駐車場 | ちゅうしゃじょう | chūshajō |
| School | 学校 | がっこう | gakkō |
| Store | 店 | みせ | mise |
| Subway | 地下鉄 | ちかてつ | chikatetsu |
| Synagogue | シナゴーグ | しなごーぐ | shinagōgu |
| Temple | 寺 | てら | tera |
| Theater | シアター | しあたー | shiatā |
| Travel agency | 旅行会社 | りょこうがいしゃ | ryokōkaisha |
| University | 大学 | だいがく | daigaku |
| Zoo | 動物園 | どうぶつえん | dō butsu en |
Bank in Japanese | 銀行 (ぎんこう) ginkou
If you ever need to go to the bank in Japan, here are a few verbs and nouns that could come in handy.
Make sure to bookmark this article, so you can come back to it whenever you need it.
| English | Japanese | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank clerk | 銀行員 | ぎんこういん | ginkōin |
| Banking account | 銀行口座 | ぎんこうこうざ | gin kō kō za |
| Account number | 口座番号 | こうざばんごう | kōza bangō |
| Checking account | 当座預金口座 | とうざよきんこうざ | tō zayokinkouza |
| Savings account | 普通預金口座 | ふつうよきんこうざ | futsū yokin kō za |
| To open an account | 口座を開設する | こうざをかいせつする | kōzawokaisetsu suru |
| To close the account | 口座を閉鎖する | こうざをへいさする | kōza o heisa suru |
| To deposit into the account | 口座に預金する | こうざによきんする | kōza ni yokin suru |
| To withdraw (v) | 引き出す | ひきだす | hikidasu |
| Wire transfer | 電信送金 | でんしんそうきん | den shin sō kin |
| Credit card | クレジットカード | くれじっとかーど | kurejittokādo |
| Code | コード | こーど | kōdo |
| Credit card number | クレジットカード番号 | くれじっとかーどばんごう | kurejittokādo bangō |
| ATM | エーティエム | えーてぃえむ | ētiemu |
| Checkbook | 小切手帳 | こぎってちょう | kogi tte chō |
| To apply for a loan | ローンを申し込む | ろーんをもうしこむ | rōn o mōshikomu |
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Hospital in Japanese | 病院 (びょうういん) byō-uin
Hopefully you will never have to use these words in a real life situation, but just in case, it’s always useful to know some of them.
Even though hospital employees in Japan will be happy to help you find your way around, you can start by learning some today.
Bandages, first aid kid, in need of a doctor? Make sure to save this list of useful words, just in case.
| English | Japanese | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| First aid | 応急処置 | おうきゅうしょち | ōkyū shochi |
| Bandage | 包帯 | ほうたい | hōtai |
| Scissors | はさみ | はさみ | hasami |
| Gauze | ガーゼ | がーぜ | gāze |
| Ointment | 軟膏 | なんこう | nankō |
| Wheelchair | 車椅子 | くるまいす | kurumaisu |
| Blood test | 血液検査 | けつえきけんさ | ketsuekikensa |
| Surgeon | 外科医 | げかい | gekai |
| Sick person | 病人 | びょうにん | byōnin |
| Doctor | 医者 | いしゃ | isha |
| Nurse | 看護師 | かんごし | kangoshi |
| Sickroom | 病棟 | びょうとう | byōtō |
| To leave hospital | 退院する | たいいんする | taiinsuru |
| To be in hospital | 入院する | にゅういんする | nyūin suru |
School in Japanese | 学校 (がっこう) gakkou
If you are studying Japanese in a classroom setting, then you probably know the following words.
In any case, it is never a bad idea to review some vocabulary and make sure to retain them forever.
Check out our Japanese language programs on Flexi Classes, where you can study with native teachers 24/7.
| English | Japanese | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher | 先生 | せんせい | sensei |
| Pupil (boy) | 男子生徒 | だんしせいと | danshiseito |
| Classroom | 教室 | きょうしつ | kyōshitsu |
| Lesson | 授業 | じゅぎょう | jugyō |
| Recess/Break | 休憩 | きゅうけい | kyūkei |
| Grade | 成績 | せいせき | seiseki |
| Cheat sheet | カンニングペーパー | かんにんぐぺーぱー | kan’ningupēpā |
| Homework | 宿題 | しゅくだい | shukudai |
| Dictionary | 辞書 | じしょ | jisho |
| Pencil | 鉛筆 | えんぴつ | enpitsu |
| Bullet point pen | ボールペン | ぼーるぺん | bōrupen |
| Fountain pen | 万年筆 | まんねんひつ | mannenhitsu |
| Colouring pen | カラーペン | からーぺん | karāpen |
| Marker | マーカー | まーかー | mākā |
| Eraser | 消しゴム | けしごむ | keshigomu |
| Folder | フォルダー | ふぉるだー | forudā |
| Glue | のり | のり | nori |
| Scissors | はさみ | はさみ | hasami |
University in Japanese | 大学 (だいがく) daigaku
Japan has many well-renowned universities, and many foreigners try to enter an exchange program every year.
This vocabulary will be helpful, even if you don’t go to Japan for a study program.
| English | Japanese | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student | 大学生 | だいがくせい | daigakusei |
| Lecturer | 先生 | せんせい | sensei |
| Lecture hall | 講堂 | こうどう | kōdō |
| Graduate | 卒業 | そつぎょう | sotsugyō |
| Diploma | ディプロマ | でぃぷろま | dipuroma |
| Dissertation | 論文 | ろんぶん | ronbun |
| Laboratory | 実験室 | じっけんしつ | jikkenshitsu |
| Lecture | 講義 | こうぎ | kōgi |
| Course mate | 同級生 | どうきゅうせい | dōkyūsei |
| Scholarship | 奨学金 | しょうがくきん | shōgakkin |
| Academic degree | 学位 | がくい | gakui |
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Post Office in Japanese | 郵便局 (ゆうびんきょく) yuubinkyoku
How will you send those postcards to your family and friends back home if you don’t know how to navigate the post office in Japanese?!
Here’s the most important words to know to make the experience a bit easier:
| English | Japanese | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailman/Postman | 郵便配達員 | ゆうびんはいたついん | yūbin haitatsuin |
| Letter | 手紙 | てがみ | tegami |
| Postcard | はがき | はがき | hagaki |
| Parcel | 小包 | こづつみ | kzutsumi |
| Money transfer | 送金 | そうきん | sōkin |
| To receive | 受け取る | うけとる | uketoru |
| To send | 送る | おくる | okuru |
| Address | 住所 | じゅうしょ | jūsho |
| ZIP code/Postcode | 郵便番号 | ゆうびんばんごう | yūbenbangō |
| Sender | 送り主 | おくりぬし | okurinushi |
| Receiver | 受取人 | うけとりにん | uketorinin |
| Envelope | 封筒 | ふうとう | fūtō |
| Postage stamp | 切符 | きっぷ | kippu |
Home in Japanese | 家 (いえ) ie
Home is where the heart is, so they say!
After studying these, you’ll be able to describe your home in a more detailed manner the next time your teacher asks:
| English | Japanese | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basement | 地下室 | ちかしつ | chikashitsu |
| Bathroom | お風呂場 | おふろば | ohuroba |
| Toilet | トイレ | といれ | toire |
| Dining Room | ダイニング | だいにんぐ | dainingu |
| Bedroom | 寝室 | しんしつ | shinshitsu |
| Kitchen | 台所 | だいどころ | daidokoro |
| Office | オフィス | おふぃす | ofisu |
| Downstairs | 下の階 | したのかい | shitaokai |
| Upstairs | 上の階 | うえのかい | uenokai |
| Garage | ガレージ | がれーじ | garēji |
| Study | 書斎 | しょさい | shosai |
Now you know how to talk about most of the important places in Japanese!
Keep going with your Japanese studies today with the following articles:
Make sure to follow us on Instagram or Discord for even more free resources like this one and to get in touch with other passionate language learners.
If you are learning more Asian languages, you’ll want to check the following articles:
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Here’s a quick vocabulary quiz for your to test out the new words you learned in the article.
Results are immediate!
PLACES IN JAPANESE – FAQ’S
How do you say Hospital in Japanese?
Hospital in Japanese is 病院 (びょうういん) byō-u-in
How do you say Bank in Japanese?
Bank in Japanese is 銀行 (ぎんこう) ginkou.
How do you say School in Japanese?
School in Japanese is 学校 (がっこう) gakkou.
How do you say Embassy in Japanese?
Embassy in Japanese is 大使館 (たいしかん) taishi kan.
How do you say Gas Station in Japanese?
Gas station in Japanese is ガソリンスタンド gasorin sutando.
How do you say Nightclub in Japanese?
Nightclub in Japanese is クラブ kurabu.
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