門
mon[mõ̞ɴ]
The English word 'gate' is translated into Japanese as 門 (mon). Wiktionary also lists 大門 (daimon).
Meaning: door-like structure outside (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 門 | mon | [mõ̞ɴ] (narrow) [ka̠do̞] (narrow) |
| 大門 | daimon | [da̠imõ̞ɴ] (narrow) [o̞ːmõ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
門 refers to a door-like structure located outside. Beyond physical structures, it can also be used metaphorically to describe an entrance or admission. This word frequently appears in compounds to denote specific types of entrances.
Which one should you use?
While 門 is the general term for a gate, 大門 (daimon) is used specifically to refer to a large or grand gate, such as those found at temples or significant estates.
How do you pronounce it?
mon
Did you know?
- Some Japanese temples feature a 山門 (sanmon), a mountain gate that is often built as a two-story tower even if the surrounding terrain is flat.
- While 門 means 'gate', it is a key component of the 門構え (mon-gamae) radical, a framing element that wraps around other characters to create new meanings.
- The word 門 is used in the term 門下生 (monkasei) to describe a student, imagining the teacher's school as a great gate that the student has entered.
Examples in context
- 門を閉めて。Close the gate.Tatoeba #3495554 by arnab, translation #853133 by piksea
- 門を閉じて。Shut the gate.Tatoeba #3496939 by arnab, translation #2249962 by CK
- 開門しなさい。Open the gate.Tatoeba #3496856 by arnab, translation #2249747 by CK
- 彼の家の門は立派ですね。The gate of his house is magnificent, isn't it?
- この正面の門をくぐってください。Please enter through this front gate.
- 出国ゲートで待っています。I'm waiting at the international gate.
- コンピュータのファイアウォールはデータの流れをゲートで制限します。The computer firewall restricts the flow of data with gates.
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A brother and sister are standing in front of their old house.
- 陽太 Yotaこの門はとても古いね。Kono mon wa totemo furui ne.This gate is very old, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himari本当。でも、すごく立派な門だよ。Hontou. Demo, sugoku rippa na mon da yo.True. But it is a very splendid gate.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵、門の横に立って。Himari, mon no yoko ni tatte.Himari, stand next to the gate.
- 陽葵 Himariわかった。写真を撮ってね。Wakatta. Shashin o totte ne.Okay. Take a photo of me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gate” translations and entries 門, 大門, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
