玄関
genkan[ɡẽ̞ŋkã̠ɴ]
In Japanese, 'hall' can be translated as several different words depending on the context. The default form is 玄関 (genkan). Wiktionary also lists 廊下 (rōka).
Meaning: corridor or a hallway (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 玄関 | genkan | [ɡẽ̞ŋkã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| 廊下 | rōka | [ɾo̞ːka̠] (narrow) |
Use 玄関 for an entrance hall or foyer, 廊下 for a corridor or hallway, 会場 for a venue where events or concerts are held, 集会場 for a formal meeting place or event hall used for religious or political gatherings and 大ホール for a large auditorium or grand concert hall.
Which one should you use?
玄関 specifically refers to the entrance hall or foyer where one removes their shoes, whereas 廊下 refers to the long passage or corridor used to move between rooms. For larger spaces, 会場 is the general term for a venue, while 大ホール is reserved for large auditoriums and 集会場 is used for formal meeting places.
How do you pronounce it?
genkan
When do people say it?
The 玄関 is a significant threshold in Japanese culture where shoes must be removed before entering the main living area.
Did you know?
- The word 玄関 originally referred to the entrance of a Buddhist temple before it became a common term for home foyers.
- When guests leave a 玄関, it is a polite custom for the host to stand in the doorway and watch the guest depart until they are out of sight.
- The word 玄関 was historically pronounced with a 'w' sound as 'genkwan' before evolving into the modern 'genkan'.
Examples in context
- 玄関の靴をそろえなさい。Do arrange your shoes in the entrance hall.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 玄関.Tatoeba #9360010 by small_snow, translation #10210417 by terrywallwork
- 廊下の突き当たりで火事が起きました。There's a fire down the hall.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 廊下.Tatoeba #77345 by bunbuku, translation #326374 by CK
- 廊下に箱がある。There’s a box in the hall.Tatoeba #6828197 by D0UG, translation #8826875 by aohta
- 大ホールThe concert will be held in the 大ホール.
- ホールThe meeting will take place in the ホール.
- 集会場The conference will be held at the 集会場.
- 会館The community gathering will take place at the local 会館.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Himari is asking Daito to put his shoes away.
- 陽葵 Himari玄関に靴を置いていいよ。Genkan ni kutsu o oite ii yo.You can leave your shoes in the hall.
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとう、陽葵。Arigatou, Himari.Thanks, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari玄関をきれいにしてくださいね。Genkan o kirei ni shite kudasai ne.Please keep the hall tidy.
- 大翔 Hirotoわかった。すぐに片付けるよ。Wakatta. Sugu ni katazukeru yo.Got it. I'll clean it up right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hall” translations and entries 玄関, 廊下, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 玄関, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
