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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "pillow" in Japanese?
枕
makura
In Japanese, "pillow" is 枕 (makura).
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Pronunciation
Makura has three short even syllables, ma-ku-ra, with a light rolled 'r' and no stress on any single beat.
Writing and usage
枕 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
枕をふわっと整えてから寝た。
makura wofuwatto totonoe tekara neta.
He fluffed the pillow before sleeping.
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How to remember 枕
Makura sounds like 'my cur-a' -- picture curling up like a cat, a 'cur', against your soft pillow.
Related words
- mattress マットレス mattoresu
- sheet シーツ shiitsu
- curtain カーテン kaaten
- rug ラグ ragu
- wardrobe クローゼット kuroozetto
- closet クローゼット kuroozetto
- faucet 蛇口 jaguchi
- sink シンク shinku
- drain 排水 haisui
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 枕
How do you pronounce 枕?
Makura has three short even syllables, ma-ku-ra, with a light rolled 'r' and no stress on any single beat.
Is 枕 formal or casual?
枕 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 枕 written in Japanese?
枕 is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as makura.
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.
"Pillow" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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