suffix
Suffix attached to a noun indicating the type of goods or service. Very productive; e.g. パン屋 (bakery), 本屋 (bookstore). Usually written with 屋.
See also: パン屋
駅前に新しいパン屋ができた。
A new bakery opened in front of the station.
あのラーメン屋はいつも行列ができている。
That ramen shop always has a line.
suffix
seller of; worker as
Suffix for a person who sells or deals in something, or works in a certain role. Can carry a derogatory nuance depending on context (e.g. 殺し屋 'hitman'). Usually written with 屋.
See also: 殺し屋
あの人は八百屋だから、野菜に詳しい。
That person is a greengrocer, so they know a lot about vegetables.
彼はなんでも屋で、頼めば大抵のことはやってくれる。
He's a jack-of-all-trades; if you ask him, he'll do almost anything.
suffix
person with a trait
Suffix for a person characterized by a certain personality trait or tendency. Often attached to the stem of a verb or adjective. Usually written with 屋. Examples: 照れ屋 (shy person), 寂しがり屋 (lonely person).
See also: 照れ屋
彼女は照れ屋だから、人前で話すのが苦手だ。
She's shy, so she's not good at speaking in front of people.
うちの子は怖がり屋で、暗いところを嫌がる。
noun
Only when written 家
Noun meaning 'house' or 'building'. Usually written with 家 in this sense. Less common than 家 (いえ) in modern Japanese, but appears in compounds and older usage.
古い町並みには、立派な家が並んでいる。
In the old townscape, splendid houses stand in a row.
noun
Noun meaning 'roof'. Can be written with 屋 or 家, but 屋 is more common for this sense. Often used in compounds like 屋根 (やね).
台風で屋根が飛ばされた。
The roof was blown off by the typhoon.
Our child is a scaredy-cat and hates dark places.
The suffix 屋 (や) originally meant 'house' or 'roof', and by extension came to refer to a place of business or a person associated with that business. The kanji 屋 is used for commercial and occupational senses, while 家 is used for the dwelling sense.