Trying to level up your knowledge about household chores in Japanese?
If you’ve ever struggled to lend a hand with dishes or laundry at an Airbnb, trust me – I’ve been there! Trying to navigate household chores in another language can get messy. But having some Japanese cleaning and cooking vocabulary up your sleeve makes all the difference in building connections.
Take it from this Japanese expat who’s mastered the art of tidying tatami mats and sink scrubbing over years of apartment shares! In this guide, I’ll serve you a practical lexicon in the Japanese language for dusting, folding, meal prep, and more – no textbook stuff. Just real talk to bond fast with flatmates, hosts, or homestays through taking care of domestic duties together.
Household Chores In Japanese
When it comes to home life in Japan, you gotta talk chores! Now I know scrubbing floors and taking out trash ain’t glamorous. But it opens up doors to understand living like a local. And the Japanese take cleaning duties real seriously – it’s practically an art form rooted in centuries of tradition.
See, Japan values order, precision, and collective harmony. And keeping a tidy home is considered vital for achieving wa (group peace). The head of the family even inspects the whole house before New Year to usher in luck for everybody. Then there are special days like Big Cleaning Day in late spring when neighbors unite to sweep streets spotless.
Point is, chore division in households here has a big cultural backdrop. Even vocabulary used reflects core values, like using the humble verb “suru” for common tasks in different Japanese rooms in the house.
Chores In The Bedroom
Historically, futons laid out on tatami mat floors were the norm for sleeping. This flexible setup allowed bedrooms to transform into multipurpose living spaces by day. Given that most apartments in Japan do not have a physical bed base, then it’s super important to keep things tidy.
| English | Japanese Script | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| Make the bed | ベッドを整える | Beddo wo totonoeru |
| Change the sheets | シーツを変える | Shītsu wo kaeru |
| Clean the room | 部屋を掃除する | Heya wo souji suru |
| Dust the furniture | 家具にほこりを払う | Kagu ni hokori wo harau |
| Organize the closet | クローゼットを整理する | Kurōzetto wo seiri suru |
| Vacuum the carpet | カーペットを掃除機で吸う | Kāpetto wo sōjiki de suu |
| Wipe the windows | 窓を拭く | Mado wo fuku |
| Put away clothes | 服を片付ける | Fuku wo katazukeru |
Chores In The Kitchen
In Japanese homes, the kitchen reigns as the heart of household operations! Far more than just a cooking hub, this space ties into cultural concepts of also nurturing togetherness.
| English | Japanese Script | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| Wash the dishes | 皿を洗う | Sara wo arau |
| Dry the dishes | 皿を乾かす | Sara wo kawakasu |
| Put away the dishes | 皿を片付ける | Sara wo katazukeru |
| Clean the countertops | カウンタートップを掃除する | Kauntātoppu wo souji suru |
| Mop the floor | 床をモップで拭く | Yuka wo moppu de fuku |
| Take out the trash | ゴミを出す | Gomi wo dasu |
| Organize the pantry | 食料品庫を整理する | Shokuryōhinko wo seiri suru |
| Clean the stove | コンロを掃除する | Konro wo souji suru |
Chores In The Dining Room
Now this space also does double duty as a family living area in many modest Japanese homes. So keeping it neat for meals and relaxation time matters big time.
| English | Japanese Script | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| Set the table | テーブルをセットする | Tēburu wo setto suru |
| Clear the table | テーブルを片付ける | Tēburu wo katazukeru |
| Wipe the table | テーブルを拭く | Tēburu wo fuku |
| Polish the silverware | 銀製品を磨く | Ginseihin wo migaku |
| Arrange the chairs | 椅子を並べる | Isu wo naraberu |
| Decorate the dining room | 食堂を飾る | Shokudō wo kazaru |
Chores In The Bathroom
Bathrooms in Japan are serious business when it comes to cleaning! With deep soaking tubs and spotless white tiles, there’s no hiding grime. Most families even don bathroom slippers reserved only for this space to limit germ transfer. And you’ll find unique tools like shower room brooms tailored to tidy and dehumidify.
| English | Japanese Script | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| Clean the sink | シンクを掃除する | Shinku wo souji suru |
| Scrub the bathtub | バスタブをこする | Basutabu wo kosuru |
| Wipe the mirror | 鏡を拭く | Kagami wo fuku |
| Mop the floor | 床をモップで拭く | Yuka wo moppu de fuku |
| Replace the towels | タオルを取り替える | Taoru wo torikaeru |
| Clean the toilet | トイレを掃除する | Toire wo souji suru |
| Organize the toiletries | 洗面用具を整理する | Senmenyōgu wo seiri suru |
| Empty the trash | ゴミ箱を空にする | Gomibako wo kara ni suru |
Chores In The Laundry Room
When it’s laundry time in Japan, families don’t mess around! Unlike tossing clothes casually into machines back home, there’s a whole special process here. The most important part of the process? The cleaning before and after using the room, of course!
| English | Japanese Script | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| Sort the laundry | 洗濯物を分ける | Sentakumono wo wakeru |
| Wash the clothes | 服を洗う | Fuku wo arau |
| Dry the clothes | 服を乾かす | Fuku wo kawakasu |
| Fold the clothes | 服をたたむ | Fuku wo tatamu |
| Iron the clothes | 服にアイロンをかける | Fuku ni airon wo kakeru |
| Hang the clothes | 服を吊るす | Fuku wo tsurusu |
| Put away the laundry | 洗濯物を片付ける | Sentakumono wo katazukeru |
Basic Sentence Structure In Japanese
When it comes to pitching in on household tasks in Japanese homes, one handy grammar structure is “[Chore]をしなければなりません” ([Chore] wo shinakereba narimasen). Just insert whatever chore is on the agenda!
Let’s break it down with some examples using the chores we’ve discussed:
- “I need to wash the dishes.”
- Japanese: 皿を洗わなければなりません。
- Romanization: “Sara wo arawanakereba narimasen.”
- “I need to clean the bathroom.”
- Japanese: お風呂を掃除しなければなりません。
- Romanization: “Ofuro wo souji shinakereba narimasen.”
- “I need to do the laundry.”
- Japanese: 洗濯をしなければなりません。
- Romanization: “Sentaku wo shinakereba narimasen.”
Learn Japanese With Ling
Well friends, I hope this little lesson on household chore harmony in Japan has you eager to dive in with host families!
I’ll have more travel-ready vocabulary, etiquette explainers, and insider tips coming soon for your next Japan adventure. But in the meantime, if you want to brush up on speaking survival phrases beyond just cleaning, be sure to download the Ling app! Immerse yourself in real dialogue recorded by natives covering all sorts of topics beyond dusting off tatami mats.
