The Meaning of jinushi [地主] In Japanese

地主
じぬし
Romaji: jinushi N4

What does 地主 mean?

Translation and Meaning

landowner, landlord, proprietor

Definition

地主 means a landowner, a person who owns land and may lease it to tenants; the term emphasizes ownership of land as property rather than ownership of a building or other assets.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Landowner or landlord in rural, historical, or legal contexts; refers to someone who owns farmland or large estates.
  • In tenancy discussions,地主 is contrasted with 借地人 (しゃくちにん, shakuchinin), the tenant renting land from the landlord.

Etymology

From 地 meaning land and 主 meaning master/owner; the compound yields the kun-reading じぬし (jinushi) in modern Japanese, reflecting native phonology rather than a borrowed reading.

Origin

During classical and Edo-period Japan, 地主 referred to owners of agricultural land who collected rents; later the term broadened to include real estate owners in urban contexts.

Composition

  • 地: land, earth — the domain in which ownership is asserted
  • 主: master, owner — the one who controls or possesses

Usage

Used in formal, legal, or historical contexts; in everyday speech, people often use 家主 or オーナー when referring to landlords in urban settings.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: think of 地 as ground and 主 as the boss; together they describe the person who bosses the land—the landowner or地主.

Variations

  • 家主 (ie-nushi) — owner of a house; romaji: ie-nushi
  • オーナー (ōnā) — modern loanword for a property owner; romaji: ōnā
  • 持ち主 (mochi-nushi) — generic owner of an item or asset; romaji: mochi-nushi
  • 借地人 (しゃくちにん, shakuchinin) — tenant of leased land; romaji: shakuchinin

Words with the same Meaning

Example Phrases

  • 地主に 土地 の 管理 を 依頼 した。
    Jinushi ni tochi no kanri o irai shita.
    I asked the landowner to manage the land.
    Lista:
    • 地主に (jinushi ni) – to the landowner
    • 土地 (tochi) – land
    • の (no) – of
    • 管理 (kanri) – management
    • を (o) – (object marker)
    • 依頼 (irai) – request
    • した (shita) – did
    「地主」 means landowner; here 「に」 marks the target of the action. The phrase 「土地の管理を依頼する」 means to request the management of the land.
地主