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A2 noun #5,000 am häufigsten 1 Min. Lesezeit

ろうか

rouka Top 5,000

Jetzt üben Notizen & Tipps

§ What does ろうか (rōka) mean?

The Japanese word ろうか (rōka) directly translates to 'corridor' or 'hallway' in English. It's a very common and practical word you'll use to describe the passageways within buildings, whether it's in a house, an office, a school, or a hotel.

Japanese Word

ろうか (rōka)

Meaning

corridor; hallway

CEFR Level

§ Examples of ろうか (rōka) in use

Here are some common ways you'll hear and use ろうか:

部屋は廊下の突き当たりです。

Hint

The room is at the end of the hallway.

廊下を走ってはいけません。

Hint

Do not run in the corridor/hallway.

長い廊下を歩いた。

Hint

I walked down a long hallway.

💡

Notice how the particle を (o) is often used with ろうか when indicating movement *along* or *through* the corridor.

§ Similar words and when to use ろうか (rōka)

While ろうか is the standard word for 'corridor' or 'hallway,' Japanese has other terms that might seem similar but have slightly different nuances or are used in specific contexts. Let's look at some of them:

通路 (tsūro): This word also means 'passage,' 'aisle,' or 'pathway.'

When to use it:

通路 is more general than ろうか. It can refer to an aisle in a store, a passage on a train or airplane, or even a public thoroughfare.
Think of 通路 as any path designed for people to move through, not necessarily enclosed within a building in the way ろうか is.

飛行機の通路を歩く。

Hint

Walk down the aisle of the airplane.

この通路は狭い。

Hint

This aisle/passage is narrow.

縁側 (engawa): This refers to a Japanese-style veranda or porch, typically a wooden strip running along the outside of a house.

When to use it:

縁側 is very specific to traditional Japanese architecture. It's an outdoor or semi-outdoor space, not an indoor hallway.
It's a place for sitting, relaxing, and enjoying the garden, rather than just a passage for moving from one room to another.

縁側でお茶を飲む。

Hint

Drink tea on the veranda/engawa.

渡り廊下 (watari rōka): This is a specific type of ろうか, meaning a 'connecting corridor' or 'covered walkway' that links two separate buildings or sections of a building.

When to use it:

If you're talking about an indoor passage *between* different parts of a larger complex (like a school, hospital, or traditional Japanese estate), 渡り廊下 is the precise term.
It implies a passage that bridges a gap, often seen in older or more spread-out architectural designs.

学校には長い渡り廊下がある。

Hint

The school has a long connecting corridor.

💡

For everyday 'hallway' or 'corridor' inside a typical building, stick with ろうか. It's the most common and versatile choice. Only use the others when their specific meaning applies.

Tipps

Learn the Kanji for ろうか

While ろうか is often written in hiragana, knowing its kanji, 廊下 (ろうか), will help with reading comprehension and understanding other compounds. The kanji 廊 means 'corridor' and 下 means 'down' or 'below', which makes sense for a hallway.

Common Usage of ろうか

ろうか is a straightforward word for 'corridor' or 'hallway'. You'll hear it in homes, schools, hospitals, and offices. It's very common and useful for describing locations.

Use with directional verbs

You'll often use ろうか with verbs like 歩く (あるく - to walk), 走る (はしる - to run), or 進む (すすむ - to proceed). For example, 廊下を歩く (ろうかをあるく) means 'to walk down the hallway'.

Distinguish from 玄関 (げんかん)

While ろうか is a hallway, 玄関 (げんかん) is specifically the entranceway or foyer of a Japanese home, where you take off your shoes. Don't confuse the two.

No plural form for ろうか

Japanese nouns generally don't have plural forms. So, ろうか can mean 'corridor' or 'corridors' depending on the context. Don't add an 's' like in English.

Hear it in context

Listen for ろうか in Japanese dramas, anime, or real-life conversations. This will help you get a feel for its natural usage and pronunciation. Pay attention to the pitch accent.

Quiet in the hallway

In Japanese culture, especially in schools and hospitals, it's generally expected to be quiet in the ろうか. Running or loud talking can be considered impolite.

Combine with other nouns

You can combine ろうか with other nouns to create more specific phrases. For example, 学校の廊下 (がっこうのろうか) means 'school hallway', and 長い廊下 (ながいろうか) means 'long corridor'.

Variations for specific types of corridors

While ろうか is general, sometimes more specific terms are used. For example, 通路 (つうろ) can also mean 'passage' or 'aisle', often for narrower paths or those within vehicles.

Practice with sentences

Create your own sentences using ろうか to solidify your understanding. For example: 廊下に猫がいます (ろうかにねこがいます) - 'There is a cat in the hallway.' Or, 廊下は暗いです (ろうかはくらいです) - 'The hallway is dark.'