台所
daidokoro[da̠ido̞ko̞ɾo̞]
In Japanese, the word for kitchen is 台所 (daidokoro). Wiktionary also lists 厨房 (chūbō) and キッチン (kitchin).
Meaning: room (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 台所 | daidokoro | [da̠ido̞ko̞ɾo̞] (narrow) |
| 厨房 | chūbō | [t͡ɕɨːbo̞ː] (narrow) |
| キッチン | kitchin | [kʲit̚t͡ɕĩɴ] (narrow) |
| キチン | kichin | [kʲit͡ɕĩɴ] (narrow) |
| 勝手 | katte | [ka̠t̚te̞] (narrow) |
What does it mean word for word?
The word 台所 literally breaks down into 台 (stand/platform) and 所 (place).
Which one should you use?
台所 is the standard, most common word for a kitchen in a household setting. キッチン is a loanword from English and is often used in modern interior design or when referring to a stylish, Western-style kitchen. 厨房 refers specifically to a professional kitchen, such as those found in restaurants or hotels. 勝手 is an older, more colloquial way to refer to the kitchen area, often implying the service area of a house.
How do you pronounce it?
daidokoro
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might mistakenly use the spelling キチン instead of the standard katakana loanword キッチン.
Did you know?
- While 台所 refers to the room, the term 台所事情 ('daidokoro jijō') is an idiom meaning 'financial circumstances' or 'budget'.
- The word 勝手, which can mean 'kitchen', also means 'one's own convenience' or 'selfishness'. Calling someone's behavior 勝手 implies they are doing whatever they please without regard for others.
- In traditional Japanese architecture, the 台所 was often a separate, semi-outdoor area or a sunken room designed to keep fire and smoke away from the main living quarters.
Examples in context
- 台所はどこ？Where's the kitchen?This is useful for asking where the kitchen is located using 台所.Tatoeba #8532899 by small_snow, translation #2900773 by AlanF_US
- 台所にいます。They are in the kitchen.This is useful for stating that someone is in the kitchen using 台所.Tatoeba #137831 by KF, translation #275405 by CK
- 台所に猫がいる。There is a cat in the kitchen.This is useful for noting the presence of a cat in the kitchen using 台所.Tatoeba #137826 by Sim5634, translation #275410 by CK
- Asagohan wa kicchin de tabemasu. (朝ご飯はキッチンで食べます。)I eat breakfast in the kitchen.
- 148 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hana and Ren are cleaning the house together.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮、台所を掃除してね。Ren, daidokoro o souji shite ne.Ren, please clean the kitchen.
- 蓮 Renわかった。今やるよ。Wakatta. Ima yaru yo.Got it. I'll do it now.
- 陽葵 Himari台所に雑巾があるよ。Daidokoro ni zoukin ga aru yo.There are cleaning cloths in the kitchen.
- 蓮 Renありがとう、陽葵。Arigatou, Himari.Thanks, Himari.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kitchen” translations and entries 台所, 厨房, キッチン, キチン, 勝手, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
