Translation guide
In Japanese, expressing 'day care' depends on the context: care for children while parents work, care for the elderly or disabled, or even pet day care. The most common term is 保育園 (hoikuen) for child day care centers.
A facility where young children are cared for during the day, typically while parents work.
The standard term for a day care center or nursery school for children, usually from infancy to preschool age. Often publicly licensed.
I leave my child at day care.
A childcare facility, often temporary or drop-in, such as in shopping malls, hospitals, or events. Less formal than 保育園.
Legally defined child welfare facility; often synonymous with 保育園 in everyday use, but can sound slightly more formal or bureaucratic.
Refers to the act of childcare or early childhood education, often used in compound terms like 保育サービス (day care service).
A facility or service providing daytime care and activities for elderly or disabled adults.
A service where pets are looked after during the day.
Commonly used for pet day care services. The English loanword is widely understood.
Referring to the idea of daytime care without specifying the recipient.
Literally 'daytime childcare', used in contexts like 'day care services' in a broad sense.
保育園 (hoikuen) is a day care center for children of working parents, operating longer hours. 幼稚園 (yōchien) is a kindergarten, usually for ages 3–5, with shorter hours and an educational focus. They are distinct institutions in Japan.
This day care center is full.
デパートに託児所があります。
There is a day care center in the department store.
認可保育所に入るのは難しいです。
It's hard to get into a licensed day care center.
We need to improve the quality of day care.
The most common term for adult day care services, especially for the elderly. Often includes rehabilitation, meals, and social activities.
My grandmother goes to day care three times a week.
Similar to デイサービス, but often implies more medical or nursing care. Used for both elderly and disabled individuals.
A nurse is always on duty at the day care center.
The formal term under the long-term care insurance system for day care services for the elderly.
To use day care services, you need long-term care certification.
I left my dog at pet day care while traveling.
Often used for overnight pet boarding, but many facilities also offer day care services. Clarify with 一時預かり (temporary care) if needed.
The pet hotel also offers day care.
The demand for day care is increasing.
Day care centers look after children until evening, but kindergartens are only in the morning.
The direct translation '日ケア' is not used. Always use the appropriate term based on context (children, elderly, pets).