屋: the kanji for shop, roof, house
屋 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means shop, roof, house. Below are its readings, 13 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
屋 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
屋 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 12 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
オク (oku)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 屋上おくじょう · okujō | rooftop |
| 屋外おくがい · okugai | outdoors |
| 屋内おくない · okunai | indoor |
| 家屋かおく · kaoku | house; building |
や (ya)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 本屋ほんや · hon'ya | bookstore |
| 花屋はなや · hanaya | florist |
| 八百屋やおや · yaoya | greengrocer |
| 居酒屋いざかや · izakaya | Japanese pub |
| 屋根やね · yane | roof |
| 名古屋なごや · Nagoya | Nagoya |
| 不動産屋ふどうさんや · fudōsan'ya | real estate agency |
| 楽屋がくや · gakuya | dressing room (backstage) |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 屋, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 部屋へや · heya | room |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 仕事の後、居酒屋に行きませんか。Shigoto no ato, izakaya ni ikimasen ka.Would you like to go to an izakaya after work?
- 駅の近くで部屋を探しています。Eki no chikaku de heya o sagashite imasu.I'm looking for an apartment near the station.
- この会社の屋上には庭があります。Kono kaisha no okujō ni wa niwa ga arimasu.This company has a garden on its roof.
- 名古屋支社に転勤になりました。Nagoya shisha ni tenkin ni narimashita.I've been transferred to the Nagoya branch.
- 帰りに本屋に寄ります。Kaeri ni hon'ya ni yorimasu.I'll stop by the bookstore on the way home.
- 雨の日のイベントは屋内で行います。Ame no hi no ibento wa okunai de okonaimasu.On rainy days, the event will be held indoors.
Questions about 屋
How many strokes does 屋 have?
屋 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 屋?
The on readings are oku (オク). The kun readings are ya (や).
What does 屋 mean at the end of a store name?
屋 (ya) means a shop or the person who runs it: 本屋 (hon'ya, bookstore), 花屋 (hanaya, florist) and パン屋 (pan'ya, bakery). In formal speech, 書店 (shoten) is used instead of 本屋.
What JLPT level is 屋?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Places and buildings
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 屋
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.