図書館

• Reading: としょかん
• Romaji: toshokan
• Kanji breakdown: 図 (to/zu) — diagram, drawing; 書 (sho/ka) — write, book; 館 (kan) — hall, building
• Pronunciation: /to.ɕo.kaɴ/

Meaning

Library. A public or institutional facility where books and other materials are available for borrowing or reading.

A noun formed from 図書 (books, publications) and 館 (building, hall). Japanese public libraries are free to use and often serve as quiet study spaces for students. Many school and university campuses also have their own libraries.

Examples

1. 図書館で本を借りました。 I borrowed a book from the library.
2. 毎週土曜日に図書館に行きます。 I go to the library every Saturday.
3. 図書館の中は静かにしてください。 Please be quiet inside the library.

Usage Guide

Context: school, studying, reading

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 図書 (books, documents) and 館 (hall, building). The term was coined in the Meiji era to describe Western-style public lending libraries introduced to Japan.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal