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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "inside" in Japanese?
内側
uchigawa
In Japanese, "inside" is 内側 (uchigawa).
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Pronunciation
内側 is written using kanji. Romanised as uchigawa, it sounds roughly like "oo-chee-gah-wah" to an English ear.
Writing and usage
Uchigawa uses inner (内) plus side (側) and refers to the interior boundary of a container or space. It is slightly more formal than naka (middle or inside).
Example sentence
鍵は箱の内側にあります。
Kagi wa hako no uchigawa ni arimasu.
The key is inside the box.
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How to remember 内側
Uchi is inside, gawa is side or direction. Uchigawa points to the inner edge of something, like the inside of a cup.
Related words
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 内側
How do you pronounce 内側?
内側 is romanised as uchigawa. Say it roughly like "oo-chee-gah-wah" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.
Is 内側 formal or casual?
内側 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 内側 written in Japanese?
内側 is written using kanji. Uchigawa uses inner (内) plus side (側) and refers to the interior boundary of a container or space.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
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"Inside" in other languages
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