ベンチ

• Reading: ベンチ
• Romaji: benchi
• Pronunciation: /beɴ.tɕi/

Meaning

Bench; a long seat for multiple people, typically found in parks or public spaces.

A katakana loanword from English 'bench.' Used for park benches, station benches, and also in sports: ベンチ入り (benchi iri, making the team roster / being on the bench), ベンチウォーマー (benchi woomaa, benchwarmer). Common expressions: 公園のベンチ (kouen no benchi, park bench), ベンチに座る (benchi ni suwaru, to sit on a bench).

Examples

1. 公園のベンチに座ってお弁当を食べた。 I sat on a park bench and ate my lunch.
2. 駅前のベンチで友達を待っていた。 I was waiting for my friend on the bench in front of the station.
3. その選手は怪我でベンチから試合を見ていた。 The player watched the game from the bench due to an injury.

Usage Guide

Context: parks, public spaces, sports

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'bench,' which derives from Old English benc (long seat). Adopted into Japanese as public seating became common in parks and stations during modernisation.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal