コンビニ
konbini[kõ̞mbʲiɲ̟i]
The Japanese phrase for convenience store is コンビニ (konbini), or コンビニエンスストア.
Meaning: a small retail store (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| コンビニ | konbini | [kõ̞mbʲiɲ̟i] (narrow) |
| コンビニエンスストア | konbiniensu sutoa | [kõ̞mbʲiɲ̟iẽ̞ɰ̃sɨ sɨ̥to̞a̠] (narrow) |
What does it mean word for word?
コンビニ is a contraction of the English loanwords 'convenience' and 'store'.
Which one should you use?
コンビニ is the shortened, standard form used in daily life. コンビニエンスストア is the full loanword version. CVS is also used as an abbreviation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
コンビニ is the standard way to refer to these stores in daily conversation. コンビニエンスストア is used in formal contexts, such as official news or business reports, but it is rarely used in casual speech.
How do you pronounce it?
konbini
Did you know?
- While in many countries a convenience store is a small shop, in Japan, many コンビニ act as essential service hubs where you can pay utility bills, print official documents, and even pick up or drop off large luggage.
- In Japan, the term コンビニ is so synonymous with convenience that the word コンビニ弁当 specifically refers to a type of pre-packaged meal available at these stores, rather than just any boxed lunch.
- The phonetic shift from the English 'v' in 'convenience' to the 'b' sound in コンビニ is a common feature of Japanese loanwords, as the single 'v' sound does not exist in the traditional Japanese phonetic system.
Examples in context
- ちょっとコンビニ行ってくるね。I'm going to the convenience store.This sentence shows how to use コンビニ to express going to a store.Tatoeba #3335510 by tommy_san, translation #3363746 by CK
- コンビニの近くに住んでるんだ。I live close to a convenience store.This sentence shows how to use コンビニ to describe living near a store.Tatoeba #11198732 by bunbuku, translation #253842 by CK
- もうこのコンビニで買わないかな。I don't know if I'll ever buy from this convenience store again.This sentence shows how to use コンビニ when discussing a purchase at a store.Tatoeba #10979935 by small_snow, translation #12033299 by Winter
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are walking together in the evening.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣、喉乾いてない？Yui, nodo kawaite nai?Yui, are you thirsty?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、少し。近くにコンビニある？Un, sukoshi. Chikaku ni konbini aru?Yeah, a little. Is there a convenience store nearby?
- 大翔 Hirotoあそこにコンビニがあるよ。Asoko ni konbini ga aru yo.There is a convenience store over there.
- 結衣 Yuiじゃあ、そこで買おう！Jaa, soko de kaou!Then, let's buy something there!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “convenience store” translations and entries コンビニ, コンビニエンスストア, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
