冷蔵庫

• Reading: れいぞうこ
• Romaji: reizouko
• Kanji breakdown: 冷 (rei/tsume) — cold; 蔵 (zou/kura) — storage, storehouse; 庫 (ko/kura) — warehouse
• Pronunciation: /ɾe.i.zo.ɯ.ko/

Meaning

Refrigerator; fridge. An essential kitchen appliance for storing food and drinks.

A common noun used in everyday household vocabulary. The word is a compound of 冷 (cold), 蔵 (storage), and 庫 (warehouse). In Japan, refrigerators are slightly smaller on average than Western ones, reflecting typical kitchen sizes.

Examples

1. 牛乳は冷蔵庫に入れてください。 Please put the milk in the refrigerator.
2. 冷蔵庫の中に何がありますか。 What's in the refrigerator?
3. 新しい冷蔵庫を買いました。 I bought a new refrigerator.

Usage Guide

Context: home, kitchen, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

A Japanese compound from 冷 (rei, cold) + 蔵 (zou, storage) + 庫 (ko, warehouse). Literally means 'cold storage building.'

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal