使用中
shiyōchū
In Japanese, the word for occupied is 使用中 (shiyōchū).
The term 使用中 is most commonly seen on signs for public facilities like restrooms, telephone booths or meeting rooms to indicate they are currently in use.
Meaning: reserved (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a combination of 使用 (shiyō), meaning 'use' and 中 (chū), a suffix meaning 'in the middle of' or 'currently'.
Which one should you use?
While 使用中 indicates a facility is being used, 空室 (kūshitsu) is the specific term used to indicate a room or space is vacant/available.
How do you pronounce it?
shiyōchū
Did you know?
- While 使用中 is standard for facilities, if you want to say a person is 'occupied' with a task, you would use 多忙 (tabō) or 手が離せない (te ga hanasenai). Using 使用中 for a person would sound as if the person is a piece of equipment.
- The kanji 中 in 使用中 can be read as 'naka' when meaning 'inside' but must be read as 'chū' when it acts as a suffix for 'currently'.
- The suffix 中 (chū) is so versatile that it can turn almost any noun into a state of being, such as 工事中 (kōjichū) for 'under construction' or 準備中 (junbichū) for 'preparing'.
Examples in context
- 学校のトイレの半分は、いつも使用中だ。Half the toilets at my school are always occupied.This sentence is useful for describing how often school toilets are occupied using 使用中.Tatoeba #12486213 by small_snow, translation #12486214 by DJ_Saidez
- 洗面所のドアの表示が使用中となっているときは、誰かが使っているという意味です。When the sign on the door of a rest room says OCCUPIED, it means someone is using it.This sentence explains that a sign saying 使用中 means someone is using the restroom.Tatoeba #141196 by bunbuku, translation #273376 by papabear
- 会議室は現在使用中です。The meeting room is occupied at the moment.This sentence shows how to state that a meeting room is currently occupied using 使用中.Tatoeba #211885 by Ianagisacos, translation #663866 by bluepie88
- あの席は使われてるよThat seat is being used.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are looking for a place to study in a cafe.
- 美咲 Misakiあの席は使用中ですか？Ano seki wa shiyōchū desu ka?Is that seat occupied?
- 蓮 Renはい、使用中です。Hai, shiyōchū desu.Yes, it is occupied.
- 美咲 Misakiそうですか。残念ですね。Sō desu ka. Zannen desu ne.I see. That's too bad.
- 蓮 Ren別の席を探しましょう。Betsu no seki o sagashimashō.Let's look for another seat.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
