In 15 Seconds
- Refers to locations with high air temperature or hot weather.
- Combines 'atsui' (hot weather) and 'basho' (place) directly.
- Commonly used to discuss summer discomfort or travel destinations.
Meaning
It describes a physical location or area where the temperature is high, usually referring to the weather or the air inside a room.
Key Examples
3 of 6Discussing vacation preferences
暑い場所はあまり好きじゃないです。
I don't really like hot places.
Entering a stuffy room
ここは本当に暑い場所ですね。
This is a really hot place, isn't it?
A tour guide explaining a desert climate
ここは世界で最も暑い場所の一つです。
This is one of the hottest places in the world.
Cultural Background
In Japan, 'hot places' are often associated with the 'Cicada' (semi) sound. When someone says a place is hot, they often imagine the buzzing of cicadas. Okinawa is the quintessential 'atsui basho' in the Japanese imagination, representing a tropical paradise with a different pace of life. The 'Heat Island' effect in Tokyo makes the city a much hotter place than the surrounding countryside, a frequent topic of summer news. The 'Cool Biz' campaign encourages offices to be 'atsui basho' (up to 28°C) to save energy, changing traditional suit-wearing culture.
Use 'Tokoro' for friends
When talking to friends, say 'atsui tokoro' instead of 'atsui basho' to sound more natural.
Kanji matters!
Always check your kanji in text messages. Using the 'heat' kanji for weather makes you look like a beginner.
In 15 Seconds
- Refers to locations with high air temperature or hot weather.
- Combines 'atsui' (hot weather) and 'basho' (place) directly.
- Commonly used to discuss summer discomfort or travel destinations.
What It Means
Imagine you are walking through Tokyo in August. The sun is beating down. The pavement is radiating heat. You look at your friend and say, "I need to get out of this 暑い場所 (atsui basho)." It literally means hot place. The word 暑い specifically refers to air temperature or weather. The word 場所 means a physical spot, location, or area. Together, they describe anywhere that makes you sweat just by standing there.
How To Use It
Using this phrase is very simple. You just place the adjective 暑い directly before the noun 場所. You don't need any extra particles like no or na. It follows the standard rules for i-adjectives. You can use it to describe a city, a specific room, or even a spot in the sun. If you want to say "This is a hot place," you say ここは暑い場所です (Koko wa atsui basho desu). It is a very versatile and logical combination.
When To Use It
You will use this most often during the brutal Japanese summer. Use it when you are looking for shade at a park. Use it when you walk into a stuffy office with no air conditioning. It is perfect for travel planning too. You might tell a friend, "I don't want to go to a 暑い場所 for vacation." It is also useful in professional settings. You might apologize to a client if your meeting room is a bit too warm.
When NOT To Use It
Be careful with your "hots"! Do not use 暑い to describe a hot cup of coffee or a sizzling plate of ramen. For physical objects you touch, you must use 熱い (also pronounced atsui, but with a different kanji). Also, don't use it for spicy food. That is 辛い (karai). If you call a curry an 暑い場所, people will think the restaurant itself is poorly ventilated, not that the food is spicy. Finally, it doesn't mean "popular" or "trendy" like "hot spot" does in English.
Cultural Background
Japan has a deep, almost spiritual relationship with the heat. Because of the extreme humidity, summer is a major topic of conversation. There is even a word, 蒸し暑い (mushi-atsui), for that humid heat that feels like being inside a dumpling steamer. In Japanese culture, finding a cool spot is a survival skill. You will see people crowding into department stores just for the free AC. Talking about the 暑い場所 you encountered today is a standard way to bond with others over the shared struggle of summer.
Common Variations
You might hear people use 暑い所 (atsui tokoro) instead. Tokoro is a bit more casual and common in daily speech. If you are talking about a specific room, you would say 暑い部屋 (atsui heya). If the place is so hot it's unbearable, you might add an intensifier: すごく暑い場所 (sugoku atsui basho). In slang, young people might just grunt あちー (achii) while pointing at a sunny spot, skipping the word "place" entirely!
Usage Notes
This phrase is safe to use in almost any situation. It is grammatically simple (i-adjective + noun) and carries no hidden negative or slang meanings. Just remember the air vs. object distinction for 'atsui'.
Use 'Tokoro' for friends
When talking to friends, say 'atsui tokoro' instead of 'atsui basho' to sound more natural.
Kanji matters!
Always check your kanji in text messages. Using the 'heat' kanji for weather makes you look like a beginner.
Add 'Sugoku'
To sound like a native, add 'sugoku' (extremely) before the phrase when complaining about the heat.
The 'Atsui' Greeting
In summer, saying 'Atsui desu ne' is like saying 'Hello'. It's the most common way to start a conversation.
Examples
6暑い場所はあまり好きじゃないです。
I don't really like hot places.
A simple way to express your preference using the phrase as a subject.
ここは本当に暑い場所ですね。
This is a really hot place, isn't it?
Using 'ne' at the end invites the other person to agree with you.
ここは世界で最も暑い場所の一つです。
This is one of the hottest places in the world.
A more formal, factual way to use the phrase in a professional context.
今日、外はどこも暑い場所ばかりだよ！
Everywhere outside is just a hot place today!
Adding 'bakari' emphasizes that there is no escape from the heat.
台所は家の中で一番暑い場所だ。
The kitchen is the hottest place in the house.
A relatable everyday observation about household chores.
あの暑い場所で、私たちは出会いました。
We met in that hot place.
Using 'ano' (that) adds a sense of shared memory and nostalgia.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct kanji for 'a hot day in a hot place'.
{今日|きょう}は（ ）い{場所|ばしょ}で（ ）い{日|ひ}ですね。
Both refer to weather/air temperature, so the 'sun' radical kanji {暑|あつ} is used.
Fill in the blank with the correct particle.
{暑|あつ}い{場所|ばしょ}（ ）{行|い}きたくないです。
The particle 'ni' indicates the destination of the verb 'ikitaikunai' (don't want to go).
Complete the dialogue.
A: この{部屋|へや}、どうですか？ B: ちょっと（ ）ですね。窓を{開|あ}けましょう。
The context of opening a window suggests the room is hot.
Match the phrase to the situation.
When would you say '{暑|あつ}い{場所|ばしょ}ですね'?
A sauna is a physical location with high air temperature.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Types of Hot Places
Natural
- • Desert
- • Tropical Island
- • Volcano
Indoor
- • Kitchen
- • Sauna
- • Attic
Atsui vs. Atsui
Practice Bank
4 exercises{今日|きょう}は（ ）い{場所|ばしょ}で（ ）い{日|ひ}ですね。
Both refer to weather/air temperature, so the 'sun' radical kanji {暑|あつ} is used.
{暑|あつ}い{場所|ばしょ}（ ）{行|い}きたくないです。
The particle 'ni' indicates the destination of the verb 'ikitaikunai' (don't want to go).
A: この{部屋|へや}、どうですか？ B: ちょっと（ ）ですね。窓を{開|あ}けましょう。
The context of opening a window suggests the room is hot.
When would you say '{暑|あつ}い{場所|ばしょ}ですね'?
A sauna is a physical location with high air temperature.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo. In Japanese, calling someone 'atsui' usually means they are passionate or 'hot-blooded,' not physically attractive.
It is neutral-formal. 'Tokoro' is the casual equivalent.
The opposite is 'samui basho' (cold place) for weather, or 'suzushii basho' (cool place) for comfort.
Use 'ichiban atsui basho'.
No, use 'karai ryouri no mise' (a shop with spicy food).
Yes, if you are discussing travel or logistics, it is fine.
Japanese distinguishes between environmental heat (暑い) and physical heat of an object (熱い).
Yes, that is the informal 'it is a hot place'.
Not necessarily, but in Japan, it usually does. Use 'mushi-atsui' to be specific.
It is A2, as it involves basic adjectives and nouns.
Related Phrases
{涼|すず}しい{場所|ばしょ}
contrastA cool place
{暖|あたた}かい{場所|ばしょ}
similarA warm place
{蒸|む}し{暑|あつ}い{所|ところ}
specialized formA humid and hot place
{避暑地|ひしょち}
specialized formA summer resort
{南国|なんごく}
similarSouthern country / Tropics
