The Meaning of shurui [種類] In Japanese

種類
しゅるい
Romaji: shurui N5

What does 種類 mean?

Translation and Meaning

type, kind, variety, sort

Definition

種類 means a category of things that share a set of distinguishing features. It denotes a classification or grouping within a larger whole and is used when discussing options, varieties, or kinds of something in general.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • General sense: a category or grouping by shared features within a larger set.
  • Nuance: emphasizes variety across options rather than a single item.
  • Common expressions: 種類が多い, 種類別

Composition

  • 種: seed, kind; contributes to the sense of ‘kind’ or ‘type’.
  • 類: class, category; adds notion of grouping by similarity.
  • Overall: a compound noun meaning category or type, formed by combining ‘kind’ and ‘class’.

Usage

Used as a noun to denote a category or class; in formal writing it appears in compounds like 種類の〜 to describe a type within a set, and in everyday speech it often follows or precedes modifiers; typical patterns include 種類が多い, いろいろな種類, 種類別.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a seed (種) growing into many kinds (類): each sprout is a new type in a garden of categories.

Variations

  • 類型 (ruikei) – synonym
  • 種別 (shubetsu) – related term
  • カテゴリ (kategorī) – loanword synonym

Words with the same Meaning

Example Phrases

  • スーパーで 果物の 種類を 見比べて 買う。
    Sūpā de kudamono no shurui o mihikabete kau.
    I compare fruit types at the supermarket and buy.
    Lista:
    • スーパー (Sūpā) – direct translation in en
    • で (de) – direct translation in en
    • 果物 (kudamono) – direct translation in en
    • の (no) – direct translation in en
    • 種類 (shurui) – direct translation in en
    • を (o) – direct translation in en
    • 見比べて (mihikabete) – direct translation in en
    • 買う (kau) – direct translation in en
    『種類』 means ‘types/varieties’; in this sentence 果物の「種類」を見比べる, の marks the category, i.e., ‘types of fruit’.
種類