The Meaning of jitaku [自宅] In Japanese

自宅
じたく
Romaji: jitaku N4

What does 自宅 mean?

Translation and Meaning

one’s own home, residence, at home

Definition

自宅 means one’s own home or residence; it refers to the place where someone lives, used in formal contexts to distinguish from work or public spaces.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • One’s own home or residence, the place where the speaker lives.
  • Used to describe actions associated with home, such as staying or working from home.
  • More formal than 家 or うち, commonly used in written, business, or official contexts.

Etymology

自 self; 宅 dwelling; combined form read as jitaku (jitaku), the standard on’yomi reading.

Composition

  • 自 = self, 宅 = dwelling; together they denote the dwelling one owns or inhabits, i.e., one’s own home; the pronunciation is jitaku (on’yomi).

Usage

Used to refer to the place one lives; more formal than 家 or うち; used with particles to mark location or movement, indicating staying at home or performing activities from home.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine 自 as a person indicating their own doorway and 宅 as the house; together they cue the meaning ‘my own home’ and the reading jitaku.

Variations

  • 家 (ie) — casual synonym; romaji: ie
  • 自分の家 (jibun no ie) — more explicit for ‘one’s own home’; romaji: jibun no ie
  • 自宅待機 (jitaku taiki) — stay-at-home usage in health or safety contexts; romaji: jitaku taiki

Example Phrases

  • 今日は自宅で美味しい朝ごはんを作っています。
    Kyou wa jitaku de oishii asagohan o tsukutte imasu.
    Today I am making a delicious breakfast at home.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (kyou wa) – today
    • 自宅で (jitaku de) – at home
    • 美味しい (oishii) – delicious
    • 朝ごはんを (asagohan o) – breakfast
    • 作っています (tsukutte imasu) – am making
    Core grammar: 「自宅」＋で marks location of the action; 「自宅」 means one’s own home.
自宅