Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
保育園 (ほいくえん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 5,000 Meanings 1
noun
nursery school ; day care center ; day nursery
A facility that looks after young children during the day, especially before elementary school age; often contrasted with 幼稚園, which is more education-oriented.
から
娘むすめ
を
保ほ
育いく
園えん
に
預あず
ける
予よ
定てい
です
。
We plan to put our daughter in day care from April.
Kanji 保 protect, guarantee, keep 育 bring up, grow up, raise Similar words 幼よう 稚ち 園えん A kindergarten or preschool, generally more education-oriented; 保育園 emphasizes childcare and daytime care.
保ほ 育いく 所しょ Very close in meaning to 保育園; 保育所 can sound somewhat more administrative or official.
託たく 児じ 所しょ A child-care or babysitting facility, often for temporary or short-term care; 保育園 usually refers to a regular nursery/day-care institution.
Etymology Compound of 保育, 'childcare; nursing and raising children,' and 園, 'garden; institution or facility.' This is a transparent modern kanji compound rather than a loanword.
