〜建て

• Reading: だて
• Romaji: date
• Kanji breakdown: 建 (ken/ta) — build, construct
• Pronunciation: /da.te/

Meaning

A suffix meaning '~storied' or indicating a type of building structure. Used to describe the number of floors or building style.

Attached to numbers to indicate how many stories a building has, as in 二階建て (two-story) or 三階建て (three-story). Also used in 一戸建て (ikkodate, detached house) as opposed to マンション (apartment building). A common and practical suffix in real estate and daily descriptions of buildings.

Examples

1. 私の家は二階建てです。 My house is a two-story building.
2. 駅の近くに三階建てのビルがあります。 There is a three-story building near the station.
3. 一戸建ての家に住みたいです。 I want to live in a detached house.

Usage Guide

Context: real estate, architecture, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From the verb 建てる (tateru, to build). The suffix form 建て (date) with rendaku (voiced consonant) indicates how something is built or structured.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal