Translation guide
A cloister is a covered walkway around a courtyard, typically in a monastery or convent. This guide covers how to express this architectural feature and related monastic concepts in Japanese.
The architectural feature: a covered passage around a courtyard, often with columns or arches.
The standard term for a cloister or covered corridor, especially in religious or historical architecture.
I walked through the cloister of the monastery.
Loanword from English, used in architectural contexts or when referring to Western-style cloisters specifically.
That church has a beautiful cloister.
Using 'cloister' to refer to the religious community or the monastic life itself.
General term for monastery or convent. Use this when 'cloister' means the institution or building.
She entered the cloister.
Specifically a Buddhist monastery, but can be used in general contexts for a cloister as a religious community.
Figurative use: a quiet, private, or protected space away from the world.
English 'to cloister' (to seclude or shut away) is not directly covered by the noun translations. Use verbs like 閉じこもる (to shut oneself away) or 隔離する (to isolate) instead.
彼は僧院で静かな生活を送っている。
He leads a quiet life in the cloister.
The library is a cloister for me.