市場

• Reading: いちば
• Romaji: ichiba
• Kanji breakdown: 市 (ichi/shi) — city, market; 場 (ba/jou) — place, location
• Pronunciation: /i.tɕi.ba/

Meaning

Market; marketplace. A place where goods are bought and sold, from street markets to financial markets.

A noun with two common readings: いちば refers to a physical marketplace or street market, while しじょう refers to an abstract economic market. At N3 level, いちば is the primary reading for everyday contexts. Used in expressions like 魚市場 (fish market) and 市場で買う (to buy at the market).

Examples

1. 朝早く市場に行って新鮮な魚を買った。 I went to the market early in the morning and bought fresh fish.
2. この市場は毎週日曜日に開かれる。 This market is open every Sunday.
3. 地元の市場にはおいしい野菜がたくさんある。 The local market has lots of delicious vegetables.

Usage Guide

Context: shopping, daily life, food

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 市 (city, market) and 場 (place, location). Together they literally mean a market place within a city or town.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal