Translation guide
The English word "facilities" covers a broad range of meanings, from physical buildings and equipment to services and bodily functions. This guide breaks down the most common uses for learners.
Referring to physical infrastructure like sports complexes, factories, or public amenities.
The most general and common word for facilities as physical places or installations. Used for public, commercial, or institutional buildings and equipment.
These sports facilities are open to everyone.
A new medical facility will open next year.
Focuses more on the equipment, fixtures, or installations within a building, rather than the building itself. Often used for machinery, air conditioning, or kitchen setups.
This hotel has state-of-the-art facilities.
Inspect the factory facilities.
Used for institutional facilities like research centers or public bodies, emphasizing their organizational role.
This research institution has excellent facilities.
Referring to things like banking facilities, childcare facilities, or credit facilities—abstract services rather than physical places.
Often the most natural translation when 'facilities' means a service offered. Use in compounds like 'banking facilities' → 銀行サービス.
This bank offers online banking facilities.
Used when 'facilities' refers to a system or scheme, like credit facilities or loan facilities.
A pattern meaning 'can use ~', often used to describe available facilities without a direct noun.
Laundry facilities are available at the hotel.
The polite English euphemism 'facilities' meaning restroom.
Referring to the ability to perform natural bodily functions, often in medical or care contexts.
The rare meaning of 'facility' as skill or ease, e.g., 'He speaks with great facility.'
施設 (shisetsu) refers to the whole building or complex, while 設備 (setsubi) refers to the equipment and installations inside. For example, a school is a 施設, but its air conditioning and computers are 設備.
This facility has the latest equipment.
English 'facilities' often means services like banking or credit. In Japanese, using 施設 for these sounds unnatural. Use サービス or 制度 instead.
We offer flexible credit facilities.
お手洗いをお借りできますか？
May I use your facilities?
ちょっと用を足してきます。
I'm just going to use the facilities.
彼女は英語が堪能だ。
She has great facility in English.