うち

noun, adverb

while; during; in the course of

Temporal use: marks a period or state during which something happens. Often written in kana.

• 若わかいうちにいろいろな経けい験けんをしたほうがいい。

  You should have various experiences while you are young.

• 明あかるいうちに帰かえりましょう。

  Let's go home while it's still light.

noun, adverb

among; out of; between

Used in the pattern 〜のうち to indicate selection or comparison within a group. Usually written in kana.

• この三みっつのうち、どれが一いち番ばん好すきですか。

  Which do you like best among these three?

• 友とも達だちのうちで彼かれが一いち番ばん背せが高たかい。

  He is the tallest among my friends.

noun

in (a state); amidst; with

Pattern 〜のうちに after a noun representing a state or condition: in secret, in chaos, with success, etc. Also written 裡 or 裏 in literary contexts. Usually written in kana.

• 成せい功こうのうちにプロジェクトを終おえた。

  We completed the project with success.

• 混こん乱らんのうちに会かい議ぎが始はじまった。

  The meeting began amidst confusion.

noun

within oneself; one's inner thoughts

Refers to one's inner feelings, thoughts, or heart. Often used in expressions like 心の内 or 胸の内.

• 彼かれは心こころの内うちをなかなか見みせない。

  He rarely shows his inner thoughts.

• 胸むねの内うちを打うち明あけた。

  I opened up about my feelings.

noun

we; our company; our organization

Only when written 内

Humble first-person plural used in business or formal contexts to refer to one's own group. Antonym: そと (outside group). Usually written in kana.

Antonyms: 外 · よそ

• 内うちではそのように決きまっております。

  That is what we have decided within our company.

• 内うちの者ものに確かく認にんします。

  I will check with someone from our organization.

noun

one's home; one's family

Only when written 内

Refers to one's own home or family. Also written 家. Usually written in kana in modern usage.

See also: うち

• 今日きょうは内うちでゆっくりします。

  I'll relax at home today.

• 内うちの家か族ぞくはみんな犬いぬが好すきです。

  Everyone in my family likes dogs.

noun

my spouse; my husband; my wife

Only when written 内

Humble reference to one's own spouse. Gender-neutral but context-dependent.

• 内うちの主しゅ人じんは今いま出でかけております。

  My husband is out right now.

• 内うちの妻つまがお世せ話わになりました。

  My wife has been in your care.

noun

signed on behalf of husband by wife

Only when written 内

Archaic epistolary convention: wife signs a letter after the husband's name using 内. Very rare in modern Japanese.

• 古ふるい手て紙がみの末まつ尾びに「太た郎ろう内うち」と書かかれている。

  At the end of the old letter, it says 'Tarō uchi', meaning signed by his wife on his behalf.

pronoun

I; me

Only when written 内

Kansai dialect first-person pronoun, primarily used by women and children. Casual and regional.

• 内うち、そんなん知しらんわ。

  I don't know anything about that. (Kansai dialect)

noun

imperial palace grounds; emperor

Only when written 内

Archaic. Refers to the imperial palace or, by extension, the emperor. Not used in modern Japanese outside historical contexts.

• 内だい裏りの内うちは一いっ般ぱんの者ものは立たち入いれなかった。

  Commoners were not allowed inside the imperial palace grounds.