階下に降りる
kaika ni oriru
To say 'go downstairs' in Japanese, you use 階下に降りる (kaika ni oriru).
The phrase 階下に降りる is used to describe the action of moving from a higher floor to a lower floor in a building. You can also use the simpler phrase 下に行く for a straightforward, informal way to say 'go downstairs'.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb part of the phrase, 降りる, means to descend or to move from a higher position to a lower one or to get off.
Which one should you use?
The phrase 階下に降りる emphasizes the physical act of descending. In contrast, using the verb 行く (to go) focuses more on the destination of the lower floor.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While 階下に降りる is grammatically correct, in daily conversational settings, people more commonly use the informal phrase 下の階に行く.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that the action has already happened, such as saying 'went downstairs', you use the past tense form 降りた.
How do you pronounce it?
kaika ni oriru
Did you know?
- While 降りる means 'to descend', it is also the standard verb used when someone 'descends' from a high social rank or resigns from a prestigious position.
- If you use the formal term 階下, you might sound like a character in a suspense novel. It carries a heavy, architectural weight that makes a simple trip to a lower floor sound like a dramatic scene in a crime story.
- In Japanese, the word 階 (floor) is derived from the Chinese word for 'step' or 'ladder'. This reflects an ancient architectural view of floors as a series of climbing levels.
Examples in context
- 会議が終わった後、彼は階段を降りたAfter the meeting ended, he went downstairs.
- えっと、すみません。下に行きたいんですが、どこですか？Um, excuse me. I want to go downstairs, but where is it?
- もう少し待ってね。ちょっと階下へ行ってくるよJust wait a bit longer. I'll go downstairs real quick.
- 一度、階下に降りる必要があります。ichido, kaika ni oriru hitsuyou ga arimasu.I need to go downstairs once.
- 猫が階下に降りるのを待っています。neko ga kaika ni oriru no o matte imasu.I am waiting for the cat to go downstairs.
