Translation guide
The concept of places where people live, from houses to settlements. Japanese distinguishes between individual dwellings, inhabited areas, and the presence of people.
Referring to a house, home, or place where someone lives.
General term for a dwelling or residence. Neutral and widely used.
彼は新しい住居を探している。
He is looking for a new place to live.
Refers to a house or residential building, often in the context of housing in general.
この地域には住宅が密集している。
Houses are densely packed in this area.
Common word for house or home. Can also mean family or household.
彼は家を建てた。
He built a house.
Referring to a place where a community of people lives, such as a village or town.
A settlement or small community, often rural. Neutral term for a cluster of dwellings.
山間部に小さな集落がある。
There is a small settlement in the mountains.
A village or hamlet, often used in geographical or sociological contexts.
Town; a larger inhabited area than a village. Very common.
この町は活気がある。
This town is lively.
Emphasizing that a place is inhabited, as opposed to being empty or abandoned.
The most natural way to say 'people live (there)' or 'is inhabited'. Uses the verb 住む (to live).
この島には人が住んでいる。
This island is inhabited.
Means 'manned' or 'inhabited', often used in technical contexts like space stations or remote islands.
その島は有人島だ。
That island is an inhabited island.
Formal term for residing or inhabiting. Often used in legal or official contexts.
Referring to the broad idea of human living spaces, often in contrast to nature.
Literally 'human habitation', used in formal or academic contexts.
人間の居住に適した環境。
An environment suitable for human habitation.
A place where people live; often used in contrast to remote or wild areas. Conveys a sense of human settlement.
人里離れた山奥。
Deep in the mountains far from human habitation.
The English phrase 'human habitation' is often translated directly as 人間の居住, but this sounds formal and is not used in everyday conversation. In most cases, use simpler expressions like 人が住んでいる (people live there) or 家 (house/home).
住居 (じゅうきょ) is a general term for a dwelling. 住宅 (じゅうたく) refers to residential buildings, often in the context of housing policy or real estate. 家 (いえ) is the most common word for house/home and is used in daily conversation.
人が住んでいる形跡はなかった。
There were no signs of human habitation.
その島には人が住んでいない。
The island has no human habitation.
その村落は人口が少ない。
That village has a small population.
Habitation in this area is prohibited.