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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "library" in Japanese?
図書館
toshokan
In Japanese, "library" is 図書館 (toshokan).
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Pronunciation
Say to-sho-KAN, three even syllables ending on a firm nasal kan rather than the softer English 'brary'.
Writing and usage
図書館 is written using kanji. It's a noun, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
彼女は図書館から三冊の本を借りた。
kanojo ha toshokan kara sansatsu no hon wo kari ta.
She borrowed three books from the library.
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How to remember 図書館
Toshokan holds 'sho' for show and 'kan' for can - imagine a library that can show you any book you want.
Related words
- museum 博物館 hakubutsukan
- theater 劇場 gekijou
- cinema 映画 eiga
- stadium スタジアム sutajiamu
- gym ジム jimu
- pool プール puuru
- church 教会 kyoukai
- temple 寺院 jiin
- mosque モスク mosuku
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 図書館
How do you pronounce 図書館?
Say to-sho-KAN, three even syllables ending on a firm nasal kan rather than the softer English 'brary'.
Is 図書館 formal or casual?
図書館 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 図書館 written in Japanese?
図書館 is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as toshokan.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Library" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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