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表玄関 (おもてげんかん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Meanings 1
noun
front door ; main entrance ; vestibule
Refers to the formal front entrance of a building, often a house or traditional structure, as opposed to a side or back door. Can also refer to the entrance hall or vestibule just inside.
関かん
を
入はい
る
と
すぐ
に
広ひろ
い
土ど
間ま
が
ある
。
Just inside the front entrance, there is a spacious earthen floor area.
Kanji 玄 mysterious, occultness, black 関 connection, barrier, gateway Similar words 玄げん 関かん 玄関 is the general term for an entranceway or genkan, while 表玄関 specifically emphasizes the formal front entrance, often in contrast to a back or side entrance.
勝かっ 手て 口ぐち 勝手口 is the kitchen door or back entrance, used for everyday comings and goings, whereas 表玄関 is the formal front entrance for guests.
Etymology Compound of 表 (おもて, 'front') and 玄関 (げんかん, 'entranceway'). The word 玄関 originally referred to the entrance of a Zen temple, later extended to the formal entrance of a residence.
