民家

• Reading: みんか
• Romaji: minka
• Kanji breakdown: 民 (min) — people, folk, citizen; 家 (ka) — house, home, family
• Pronunciation: /miɴ.ka/

Meaning

Private house; residential dwelling. An ordinary house where people live, as opposed to public or commercial buildings.

A noun used in two main senses: ordinary residential houses in general, and specifically traditional Japanese folk houses preserved as cultural heritage (古民家, kominka). In news reports, 民家 appears in contexts like fires or natural disasters affecting residential areas. The growing 古民家 renovation trend has brought renewed attention to traditional architectural styles.

Examples

1. 台風で民家の屋根が飛ばされた。 The typhoon blew the roof off a house.
2. 古民家を改装したカフェが人気を集めている。 A café renovated from a traditional old farmhouse has become popular.
3. この辺りは民家が少なく、静かな環境だ。 There aren't many houses around here, so it's a quiet area.

Usage Guide

Context: news, architecture, real estate

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 民 (min, people/folk) + 家 (ka, house). Literally 'people's house' — a dwelling belonging to ordinary citizens.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal