薬剤師
yakuzaishi[ja̠kɯ̟za̠iɕi]
The Japanese word for pharmacist is 薬剤師 (yakuzaishi). If unsure, use 薬剤師. Wiktionary also lists 薬屋 (kusuriya).
Meaning: professional who dispenses prescription drugs (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 薬剤師 | yakuzaishi | [ja̠kɯ̟za̠iɕi] (narrow) | |
| 薬屋 | kusuriya | [kɯ̟̊sɨɾʲija̠] (narrow) | person, place |
The term is used to describe a professional who dispenses prescription drugs. You may also encounter the term 薬屋, which can refer to the person selling medicine or the drugstore itself.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 薬剤師 is composed of the characters 薬 (medicine), 剤 (agent/preparation) and 師 (master/professional).
Which one should you use?
薬剤師 is used to refer specifically to the licensed professional. In contrast, 薬屋 is a more general term that can mean the person selling medicine or the pharmacy/drugstore itself, often translated as 'drugstore person'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
薬剤師 is the formal title for the profession. 薬屋 is a colloquial term used in everyday conversation and is considered an informal expression.
How do you pronounce it?
yakuzaishi
Did you know?
- Japanese uses the word 薬 for both 'medicine' and 'poison', meaning a 薬剤師 is technically a master of both curative and toxic substances.
- In Japan, the professional role of the 薬剤師 is strictly separated from the sale of the medicine, meaning you often visit a different shop to get your prescription filled after leaving the clinic.
- The suffix 屋 in the colloquial 薬屋 carries a nuance of a small, traditional shopkeeper, often evoking a sense of a local neighborhood merchant from the past.
Examples in context
- 祖父は、薬剤師をしてました。My grandfather was a pharmacist.This sentence is useful for describing a past profession using 薬剤師.Tatoeba #11021520 by small_snow, translation #10911480 by CM
- 彼女は、とても優秀な薬剤師です。Kanojo wa, totemo yuushuu na yakuzaishi desu.She is a very excellent pharmacist.
- 将来の夢は、薬剤師になることです。Shourai no yume wa, yakuzaishi ni naru koto desu.My dream for the future is to become a pharmacist.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their career paths at a university.
- 結衣 Yui陽太さんは、何になりたいの？Youta-san wa, nani ni naritai no?Youta, what do you want to be?
- 陽太 Yota僕は、薬剤師になりたいと思っているんだ。Boku wa, yakuzaishi ni naritai to omotte iru n da.I am thinking that I want to become a pharmacist.
- 結衣 Yuiそれは、素敵な目標だね！Sore wa, suteki na mokuhyou da ne!That is a wonderful goal!
- 陽太 Yota結衣さんも、何か目標はある？Yui-san mo, nani ka mokuhyou wa aru?Do you have a goal as well, Yui?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pharmacist” translations and entries 薬剤師, 薬屋, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
