部屋

• Reading: へや
• Romaji: heya
• Kanji breakdown: 部 (bu/he) — section, part; 屋 (oku/ya) — roof, building, shop
• Pronunciation: /he.ja/

Meaning

Room; chamber. A general word for any room inside a building.

One of the first nouns learners encounter when describing homes and hotels. Used in many compounds: 部屋の中 (inside the room), 部屋を掃除する (clean the room). Also refers to a sumo wrestler's stable (部屋 — heya). Counter for rooms uses 部屋 or the suffix 室 (shitsu).

Examples

1. この部屋は明るくて広いです。 This room is bright and spacious.
2. 部屋を片付けてください。 Please tidy up the room.
3. ホテルの部屋から海が見えます。 You can see the ocean from the hotel room.

Usage Guide

Context: housing, hotels, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 部 (section/part) and 屋 (roof/building), literally meaning 'a sectioned-off space under a roof' — a partitioned area within a larger structure.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal