Translation guide
A room or space for receiving guests, socializing, or specific commercial services. The Japanese equivalent depends heavily on context—whether it's a private home, a business, or a historical setting.
A comfortable room in a private house for relaxing or entertaining guests.
The standard word for a family living room or sitting room in a Japanese house. It's the room where the family gathers and relaxes.
家族は居間でテレビを見ています。
The family is watching TV in the living room.
Short for リビングルーム, commonly used in modern apartments and houses. Slightly more Western in feel than 居間.
リビングが広い部屋を探しています。
I'm looking for a place with a spacious living room.
A formal reception room for guests, more common in traditional or larger houses. Not used for everyday family relaxation.
お客様を客間にお通ししました。
I showed the guest into the parlour.
A shop or business offering personal services, often with a cozy or specialized atmosphere.
Attach to the service type. For example, 美容室 (beauty parlour), マッサージ店 (massage parlour), アイスクリーム店 (ice cream parlour). This is the most neutral and common pattern.
新しい美容室が駅前にできた。
A new beauty parlour opened in front of the station.
あのアイスクリーム店はいつも混んでいる。
That ice cream parlour is always crowded.
A direct loanword from English, used in some shop names (e.g., フルーツパーラー). It sounds slightly retro or specialized, not a generic term.
A room in a large house, mansion, or historical building used for receiving visitors, often with antique or elegant decor.
A formal reception room, often found in older Western-style houses or company guest areas. It implies a separate room for meeting visitors.
その洋館の応接間には暖炉があった。
There was a fireplace in the parlour of that Western-style house.
As above, can also be used for a formal parlour in a traditional or Western context.
Refers to games or activities traditionally played in a parlour setting.
General term for indoor games. To specify 'parlour games', you might say 室内遊び or パーラーゲーム, but the concept is not common in modern Japanese.
彼らは室内ゲームをして午後を過ごした。
They spent the afternoon playing parlour games.
The English word 'parlour' covers many distinct concepts. Translating it directly as パーラー is only appropriate for certain shop names. For a room in a house, always use 居間 or リビング; for a formal reception room, use 応接間 or 客間.
老舗のフルーツパーラーでパフェを食べた。
I ate a parfait at a long-established fruit parlour.
Antique furniture was placed in the parlour.