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不在 (ふざい, fuzai) Japanese meaning: absence | Kotomora
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代か
わり
に
対たい
応おう
いたし
ます
。
The department head is absent today, so I will handle it in their place.
There was an important phone call during his absence.
Usage patterns 〈 場ば 所しょ 〉 を 不ふ 在ざい にする to be away from a place (home, office, etc.)
I'll be away from the office for a week on a business trip.
〈 人ひと 〉 不ふ 在ざい で without a key person present, in someone's absence
The discussion took place without the person concerned present.
〈 人ひと 〉 が 不ふ 在ざい の 間あいだ に while someone is away
A package arrived while he was away.
〈 人ひと 〉 に 不ふ 在ざい を 告つ げる to tell someone that a person is not in
The receptionist told the visitor that the manager was out.
Expressions 国こく 民みん 不ふ 在ざい out of touch with the people; indifferent to public concerns Kanji 在 exist, outskirts, suburbs Related words 留守 is the everyday word for being away from home (often used for phone or door contexts), while 不在 is more formal and covers absence from any expected location.
無視 means actively ignoring someone, while 不在 as a suffix (as in 国民不在) implies a structural lack of consideration rather than deliberate disregard.
欠席 specifically means absence from a scheduled event, meeting, or class, whereas 不在 more broadly means not being at a place one is expected to be.
Opposites 在宅 means being at home, the direct opposite of 不在 when used for someone's presence at a residence or office.
不在 means 'absence' or 'being away', the direct opposite of 存在 'being present/existing'.
Don't confuse with 存在 means 'existence' and shares the kanji 在 with 不在, but the two are nearly opposite in meaning—one affirms being, the other denies presence.
不才 (ふさい) sounds almost identical to 不在 (ふざい) but means 'lack of talent,' a humble self-reference, not physical absence.
Etymology From 不 (not) + 在 (exist, be present). The suffix usage extends the idea of absence to a figurative lack of consideration.
notice of absence; mail hold request · missed-delivery notice
