Translation guide
A room in a house or building used for receiving guests, relaxing, or specific commercial purposes. Japanese equivalents depend on the type of parlor.
A comfortable room in a private house for relaxing, watching TV, or spending time with family.
The family is watching TV in the living room.
Short for リビングルーム. Very common in modern Japanese homes, especially in apartments. Slightly more Western-style nuance.
I put a sofa in the living room.
Traditional term for a family sitting room, often with tatami and a low table. Used in older houses or rural settings.
My grandmother is drinking tea in the sitting room.
A room used to receive and entertain visitors, often more formal than a family room.
A formal reception room or parlor for guests. Common in larger houses or traditional settings.
I showed the guest into the parlor.
A guest room or parlor. Can be used for both receiving guests and as a spare room for overnight visitors.
A traditional Japanese-style room with tatami mats, often used as a formal parlor or reception room in ryokan or older homes.
A shop or business offering specialized services, often with a cozy or old-fashioned atmosphere.
Used as a suffix for certain types of shops, especially beauty parlors, ice cream parlors, and funeral parlors. Often written in katakana.
I went to the beauty parlor.
That ice cream parlor is always crowded.
Standard word for a beauty salon or hairdresser. More common than 美容パーラー.
Funeral parlor or funeral home. More formal than 葬儀パーラー.
In English, 'parlor' can refer to a living room, a formal sitting room, or a commercial establishment. In Japanese, the word changes completely depending on the context. Using 居間 for a funeral parlor would be incorrect.
Both mean living room, but 居間 is a traditional Japanese word, while リビング is a loanword from English. リビング often implies a more modern, Western-style room. In many homes, they are used interchangeably.
客間でお茶を出しました。
I served tea in the parlor.
旅館の座敷で夕食をいただきました。
We had dinner in the ryokan's parlor.
I got my hair cut at the beauty parlor.
葬儀場は駅の近くにあります。
The funeral parlor is near the station.