マンション
manshon[mã̠ɰ̃ɕõ̞ɴ]
In Japanese, the English phrase "apartment building" is expressed as マンション (manshon) or アパート (apāto).
Meaning: residential building with multiple flats (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| マンション | manshon | [mã̠ɰ̃ɕõ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| アパート | apāto | [a̠pa̠ːto̞] (narrow) |
Both terms refer to residential buildings containing multiple flats, but they are used to describe different types of housing based on construction and quality.
Which one should you use?
The term アパート (apāto) is typically used for smaller, lower-cost or older residential buildings, which are often constructed of wood. In contrast, マンション (manshon) refers to high-quality, more modern apartment buildings, often built with reinforced concrete.
How do you pronounce it?
manshon
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to use マンション to mean a large, luxurious single-family estate as the word does in English. In Japanese, it specifically refers to multi-unit apartment buildings.
Did you know?
- The word マンション (manshon) was originally a marketing tool. It was adopted in the 1950s specifically to make high-density living projects sound more glamorous and upscale to the public.
- Because アパート buildings are frequently made of wood, they are often associated with being noisier than the concrete マンション alternatives.
- A person living in a マンション generally pays a higher monthly management fee than someone in an アパート.
Examples in context
- アパートが燃えている。The apartment building is on fire.This sentence is useful for describing an emergency involving an アパート.Tatoeba #230406 by KK_kaku_, translation #1258596 by CK
- トムはこのアパートの三階に住んでいる。Tom lives on the third floor of this apartment building.This sentence is useful for stating which floor of an アパート someone lives on.Tatoeba #1173424 by bunbuku, translation #1024548 by CK
- 東京にはたくさんの団地があります。There are many apartment complexes in Tokyo.
- 私の友達は新しいアパートに引っ越しました。My friend moved to a new apartment.
- 彼女は高級マンションで暮らしています。She lives in a luxury apartment building.
- 新しいマンションはとても綺麗です。Atarashii manshon wa totemo kirei desu.The new apartment building is very beautiful.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about where to live.
- 健太 Kenta結衣さんは、マンションに住んでいますか？Yui-san wa, manshon ni sunde imasu ka?Yui, do you live in an apartment building?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、駅に近いマンションに住んでいます。Hai, eki ni chikai manshon ni sunde imasu.Yes, I live in an apartment building near the station.
- 健太 Kentaそれは便利そうですね。Sore wa benri sou desu ne.That sounds convenient.
- 結衣 Yuiとても快適ですよ。Totemo kaiteki desu yo.It is very comfortable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “apartment building” translations and entries マンション, アパート, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries アパート, マンション, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
