Both the words basho [場所] and tokoro [所] are nouns and both mean place. Is there a difference between these two words? When to use each one? Are there similar words? We will answer these and other Japanese questions in this article.
There are several situations where it doesn't matter which of the two words you use in the sentence. There are also other Japanese words that mean place. Before we understand the differences between basho and tokoro I wanted to quote them quickly:
位置 - Ichi means place, situation, position and location. This word is often used to refer to the location on a map, the position of some country or something like that.
余地 - Yochi it can also refer to a place or quart, but its use usually indicates a space, margin, or scope. For example, you can use yochi when does it mean they don't exist excuses for your delay.
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Understanding the meaning of Basho [場所]
Basho is a Chinese word [場所] that also uses the character of tokoro. This word is usually more specific and concrete than tokoro [所] which is a Japanese word. Basho can be used for place, location, position, room and space.
Basho is often used to show the exact location. For example:
事故が起きた場所
Jiko ga okita basho
accident site
Basho can be used to talk about a construction site, a movie location, and many other examples.
We also found situations where the BA [場] stands alone. This ideogram alone can refer to a situation, placement, scene, session, round, field, and other situations.
Understanding the meaning of Tokoro [所]
The word Tokoro [所] tends to be much broader than basho. Tokoro can refer to a place, location, scene, address, area, locality, district, house, point, aspect, facet, passage, part, space, thing, issue, and others.
Tokoro can refer to a physical location just like basho, but is often used abstractly. For example, you can use tokoro to refer to a piece of lyrics in a song. See some examples:
この歌のところが一番好きと思います。
I think this is the best part of the song.
I like that part of the song, it's the best!
ここが最も重要な所だ
Koko ga mottomo jūyōna tokoroda
That's the most important part
所変われど人変わらず
Tokoro kawaredo hito kawarazu
No matter where you go, people don't change;
Tokoro has several other interesting functions, see some combinations with particles:
- Tokoroga [所が] - Means nonetheless, however, still, even if, on the contrary, in fact, despite..;
- By the way [所で] - Means by the way, incidentally, or it doesn't matter (where, when, why, how).
- Tokoroka [所か] - Means far from, nothing, leave alone, not to talk about…
- Issho [一所] - Means a place, the same place, a person and together (archaic version of [一緒]).
Simplifying basho is literally a location and tokoro is literally a place. Just don't consider the previous sentence as something absolute. Japanese is simple but sometimes it is full of confusing things; just living and using it in daily life makes it make sense.
Words Related to Basho and Tokoro
To conclude the article, I will share a list of words related to places in japonês. The list below contains words related to the ideograms of place [場] and [所]. Perhaps these words will help you understand the differences!
I hope you have enjoyed the article. We appreciate the comments and shares...
Responsive Table: Scroll the table to the side with your finger >>
| Portuguese | Romaji | Kanji |
| Here and there, various places | tokorodokoro | 所々 |
| income, salary | shotoku | 所得 |
| Possession | shoji | 所持 |
| view, opinion | shoken | 所見 |
| case, situation | baai | 場合 |
| Scene | bamen | 場面 |
| Arena | jyouri | 場裏 |
| off site | jyougai | 場外 |
| Experiences | bakazu | 場数 |