ビル 30秒了解
- Biru means 'building' and comes from the English word.
- It usually refers to office or commercial buildings, not houses.
- Be careful not to confuse it with 'biiru' (beer).
- It is written in Katakana because it is a loanword.
The Japanese word ビル (biru) is a ubiquitous loanword derived from the English word "building." However, its usage in Japanese is more specific than its English counterpart. While "building" in English can refer to any structure with a roof and walls, biru typically refers to modern, multi-story, Western-style structures made of concrete, steel, or glass. You wouldn't usually call a traditional Japanese wooden house a biru; that would be 建物 (tatemono) or 家 (ie).
- Primary Usage
- Refers to office buildings, commercial complexes, and skyscrapers in urban environments.
- Visual Profile
- Associated with the 'concrete jungle' aesthetic of cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.
- Scale
- Implies a certain height and permanence, often housing multiple businesses or tenants.
「東京には高いビルがたくさんあります。」
— Translation: There are many tall buildings in Tokyo.
In the Japanese psyche, the biru represents modernization and the post-war economic miracle. When you walk through Shinjuku or Marunouchi, you are surrounded by biru. It is important to distinguish this from マンション (manshon), which specifically refers to high-quality apartment buildings or condominiums. While a manshon is technically a building, if you tell someone you live in a biru, they might think you are sleeping in an office or a commercial facility.
「駅の前の新しいビルにレストランが入っています。」
There is a restaurant in the new building in front of the station.
The word is also frequently used in compound words. For example, ビル街 (biru-gai) refers to a district filled with office buildings, and 雑居ビル (zakkyo-biru) refers to those multi-tenant buildings where you might find a bar on the 3rd floor, a dentist on the 4th, and a cram school on the 5th. These zakkyo-biru are the lifeblood of Japanese nightlife and urban convenience.
「このビルの屋上から富士山が見えます。」
You can see Mt. Fuji from the rooftop of this building.
「古いビルを壊して、公園を作るそうです。」
I heard they are going to tear down the old building and build a park.
Historically, the term gained traction during the Taisho and early Showa eras as Western architecture began to dominate city centers. Today, it is an essential word for anyone navigating a Japanese city, as almost all landmarks and meeting points involve a specific biru name, such as the 'Sunshine 60 Biru' or the 'Mori Biru'.
Using ビル (biru) correctly involves understanding its grammatical role as a noun and its interaction with Japanese particles and counters. Since it is a physical object, it often takes particles like が (subject), を (object), or に/で (location).
- With Counters
- When counting buildings, use 棟 (tou) for large buildings or 軒 (ken) for smaller ones. However, when referring to the floors within a biru, use 階 (kai). Example: 10階建てのビル (A 10-story building).
- Common Verbs
- ビルを建てる (tateru - to build), ビルを見上げる (miageru - to look up at), ビルに入る (hairu - to enter).
In business contexts, you might hear biru-kanri (building management). If you are giving directions, biru is a vital landmark. "Go past that tall building" becomes 「あの高いビルの先に行ってください。」
Grammar Pattern: Describing a Building
[Adjective] + ビル
- 新しいビル (New building)
- 有名なビル (Famous building)
- 立派なビル (Splendid/Grand building)
One specific nuance to master is the difference between biru and tatemono. Tatemono is the general category for any structure. If you aren't sure if it's a house, a shed, or a skyscraper, use tatemono. Once it is clearly a modern, multi-story structure, biru is more natural. Also, remember that in Japan, the first floor is 1階 (ikkai), not the ground floor as in some European systems.
You will encounter the word ビル (biru) in various everyday scenarios in Japan, from train announcements to casual conversations about the city landscape.
- SCENE 1
At the Station: Announcements often mention buildings as exits. "Exit 3 is located inside the ABC Biru." (3番出口はABCビルの中にあります。)
- SCENE 2
Business Meetings: Discussing office locations. "Our office moved to the new building in front of the station." (弊社は駅前の新しいビルに移転しました。)
- SCENE 3
Weather Reports: Mentioning wind speeds between buildings, known as biru-kaze (building wind). "Be careful of strong winds between buildings today." (今日はビル風に注意してください。)
In media, biru is often used in titles of TV shows or news segments about urban development. Real estate advertisements are also full of this word, detailing the age of the biru (chikunen-suu) and its earthquake resistance (taishin-sei).
// Common Radio/TV phrase
「都心のビル群が夕日に染まっています。」
The buildings in the city center are being dyed by the sunset.
Even though ビル (biru) seems simple, learners often make a few critical errors. The most famous is the pronunciation error involving vowel length.
❌ The 'Beer' Confusion
Saying ビール (biiru) when you mean building. This is the #1 mistake. Always keep the 'i' sound short for the structure.
❌ Calling a House a 'Biru'
Using biru for a 2-story detached house. Use 家 (ie) or 一軒家 (ikkenya) instead.
Another mistake is confusing biru with manshon. If you are talking about where you live, and it's an apartment, use manshon or apaato. If you say "I live in a biru," people will assume you live in a commercial building, perhaps as a caretaker or in a converted office space.
To sound more like a native speaker, you should know the nuances between ビル and its synonyms.
- 建物 (Tatemono)
- The general term for any building. It's safer to use if you're unsure. It covers everything from a shed to a cathedral.
- マンション (Manshon)
- Specifically refers to multi-story residential buildings (apartments/condos). Usually concrete and higher-end than an 'apaato'.
- アパート (Apaato)
- Usually smaller, 2-story wooden or light-steel residential buildings. Cheaper than a manshon.
- ビルディング (Birudingu)
- The full English word. Used mostly in formal names of buildings (e.g., Marunouchi Building) rather than in speech.
- タワー (Tawaa)
- Used for very tall skyscrapers or communication towers (e.g., Tokyo Tower, Sky Tree).
When describing a city skyline, you might use 摩天楼 (matenrou), which means 'skyscraper' (literally 'heaven-scraping tower'), though this is more literary or dramatic.
How Formal Is It?
难度评级
需要掌握的语法
Counters for floors (-kai)
Relative location nouns (mae, ushiro, naka)
Describing existence (arimasu/imasu)
Adjective-Noun modification
Directional particles (e, ni)
按水平分级的例句
これはビルです。
This is a building.
Basic noun + desu structure.
ビルは高いです。
The building is tall.
Subject + adjective.
大きなビルですね。
It's a big building, isn't it?
Adjective + noun + ne particle.
あのビルはどこですか？
Where is that building?
Question with 'doko'.
ビルの中にあります。
It is inside the building.
Location particle 'no naka ni'.
ビルが見えます。
I can see a building.
Potential/visible 'ga miemasu'.
きれいなビルです。
It is a beautiful building.
Na-adjective + noun.
ビルへ行きます。
I am going to the building.
Directional particle 'e'.
ビルの前に銀行があります。
There is a bank in front of the building.
Relative position 'no mae ni'.
あのビルの3階にいます。
I am on the 3rd floor of that building.
Floor counter 'kai'.
新しいビルを建てています。
They are building a new building.
Present continuous 'te-imasu'.
ビルの入り口で待ちましょう。
Let's wait at the entrance of the building.
Volitional 'mashou'.
このビルはとても古いです。
This building is very old.
Adverb 'totemo' + adjective.
ビルの屋上から町が見えます。
You can see the town from the rooftop of the building.
Source particle 'kara'.
エレベーターでビルの上まで行きます。
I will go to the top of the building by elevator.
Means particle 'de'.
ビルの隣に公園があります。
There is a park next to the building.
Position 'no tonari ni'.
このビルにはたくさんの会社が入っています。
Many companies are located in this building.
Compound verb 'haitte-imasu' for occupancy.
地震の時、このビルはかなり揺れました。
During the earthquake, this building shook quite a bit.
Time particle 'no toki'.
ビルの壁に広告が貼ってあります。
There is an advertisement posted on the wall of the building.
State of being 'te-arimasu'.
あのビルはガラス張りでかっこいいです。
That building is glass-walled and looks cool.
Noun + bari (covered with).
ビルの管理人に鍵を借りました。
I borrowed the key from the building manager.
Agent particle 'ni'.
この辺りはビルばかりで、緑が少ないです。
This area is full of buildings, so there is little greenery.
Particle 'bakari' (nothing but).
ビルを建てる前に、地鎮祭を行いました。
Before building the building, we held a ground-breaking ceremony.
Time clause 'mae ni'.
ビルの地下に駐車場があります。
There is a parking lot in the basement of the building.
Basement 'chika'.
ビルの老朽化が進んでいるため、建て替えが必要です。
Because the building is aging, a reconstruction is necessary.
Reasoning 'tame'.
このビルは最新の免震構造を採用しています。
This building adopts the latest seismic isolation structure.
Technical term 'menshin kouzou'.
ビルのオーナーと賃貸契約を結びました。
I signed a lease agreement with the building owner.
Business term 'chintai keiyaku'.
ビルの屋上に太陽光パネルを設置する予定です。
We plan to install solar panels on the rooftop of the building.
Intention 'yotei desu'.
ビルの外壁塗装工事が始まりました。
The exterior wall painting work of the building has begun.
Compound noun 'gaiheki tosou kouji'.
このビルは省エネに配慮した設計になっています。
This building is designed with energy saving in mind.
Design pattern 'ni natte iru'.
ビル風が強すぎて、歩くのが大変です。
The building wind is so strong that it's hard to walk.
Causality 'sugite'.
ビルのテナント構成を見直す必要があります。
It is necessary to review the tenant composition of the building.
Noun 'tenant' (tenant).
都市開発によって、歴史的なビルが次々と取り壊されています。
Due to urban development, historical buildings are being demolished one after another.
Passive voice 'torikowasarete-iru'.
そのビルは、ポストモダン建築の代表作として知られています。
The building is known as a representative work of postmodern architecture.
As 'toshite'.
ビルの空室率が上昇し、不動産市場に影響を与えています。
The vacancy rate of buildings is rising, affecting the real estate market.
Economic term 'kuushitsuritsu'.
雑居ビルが立ち並ぶ通りは、独特の活気があります。
The street lined with multi-tenant buildings has a unique vitality.
Verb 'tachinarabu' (to stand in a row).
ビルの容積率を緩和することで、より高い建築が可能になります。
By relaxing the floor area ratio of the building, taller construction becomes possible.
Legal term 'yousekiritsu'.
このビルは、周囲の景観と調和するように設計されました。
This building was designed to harmonize with the surrounding landscape.
Purpose 'youni'.
ビルの資産価値を維持するためには、定期的なメンテナンスが不可欠です。
Regular maintenance is essential to maintain the asset value of the building.
Essential 'fukaketsu'.
そのビルは、かつての繁栄を物語る象徴的な存在です。
The building is a symbolic presence that tells of past prosperity.
Literary 'monogatari' (to tell/narrate).
コンクリートのビル群が、都会の孤独を象徴しているかのようだ。
The clusters of concrete buildings seem to symbolize urban loneliness.
Simile 'ka no you da'.
ビルのファサードに施された装飾が、道行く人の目を引く。
The decorations applied to the building's facade catch the eyes of passersby.
Technical term 'fasaado'.
再開発計画により、そのビルは存続の危機に立たされている。
Due to the redevelopment plan, the building is facing a crisis of survival.
Idiom 'kiki ni tatasarete-iru'.
ビルの影が長く伸び、街に静寂が訪れる。
The shadows of the buildings stretch long, and silence visits the city.
Poetic description.
建築家は、ビルの機能性と審美性の高次元での融合を目指した。
The architect aimed for a high-level fusion of the building's functionality and aesthetics.
Abstract nouns.
ビルの鉄骨が剥き出しになった光景は、どこか退廃的だ。
The sight of the building's steel frame being exposed is somewhat decadent.
Adjective 'taihanteki'.
そのビルは、都市の記憶を刻む記念碑的な役割を果たしている。
The building plays a monumental role in carving the memory of the city.
Metaphorical usage.
ビルの林立する摩天楼の下で、人々はそれぞれの人生を謳歌している。
Under the skyscrapers where buildings stand in clusters, people are enjoying their respective lives.
Advanced verb 'ouka suru'.
常见搭配
常用短语
容易混淆的词
习语与表达
容易混淆
句型
词族
相关
如何使用
Usually implies a structure of 3 or more stories.
Use 'manshon' for apartments, not 'biru'.
- Pronouncing it as 'biiru' (beer).
- Using it for residential apartments (use 'manshon').
- Writing it in Hiragana (びる).
- Using it for small houses.
- Forgetting the floor counter 'kai' when describing location.
小贴士
Short 'i'
Clip the 'i' sound quickly. Imagine you are being cut off.
Context Matters
If it has offices, it's a 'biru'. If it has beds, it's a 'manshon'.
Floor Counting
Remember 3rd floor is 'sangai' (voiced 'g').
Meeting Spots
Buildings are the most common meeting spots in Japan. Learn the names!
Katakana Practice
Practice writing ビ and ル clearly so they aren't confused with other characters.
Train Station
Listen for 'biru' in exit names at major stations like Shinjuku.
No 'Biru' for Houses
Never call a traditional home a 'biru', even if it's large.
Emergency
In an earthquake, 'biru' are often safer than old wooden houses.
Beer vs Building
If you order a 'biru' at 8 PM, the waiter will assume 'beer' despite your pronunciation.
Compounds
Learn 'zakkyo-biru' to understand the heart of Japanese city life.
记住它
词源
English 'building'
文化背景
Professional window cleaners on ropes are a common sight on large birus.
Japanese addresses often include the building name and floor number.
Every modern building must meet strict seismic codes.
在生活中练习
真实语境
对话开场白
"あの高いビルは何ですか？ (What is that tall building?)"
"このビルの中にレストランはありますか？ (Are there any restaurants in this building?)"
"新しいビルが建ちましたね。 (A new building was built, wasn't it?)"
"ビルの屋上に行けますか？ (Can we go to the rooftop of the building?)"
"どのビルで働いていますか？ (Which building do you work in?)"
日记主题
Describe the tallest building in your city.
If you owned a 'biru', what kind of shops would you put in it?
Do you prefer old traditional houses or modern 'biru'?
Describe the view from a building you visited recently.
Write about the 'concrete jungle' of a city you know.
常见问题
10 个问题No, 'biru' is for large, modern commercial buildings. Use 'ie' or 'uchi' for a house.
'Biru' is the common spoken form. 'Birudingu' is used in formal names.
Usually, 'biru' implies something taller, but a small commercial building can be called a 'biru'.
You can say 'takai biru' or the more formal 'chou-kousou biru'.
Because it is a loanword from the English word 'building'.
Technically yes, but socially they are categorized differently based on use.
It refers to the strong winds that blow between tall buildings.
Use 'tou' (棟) for large buildings.
No, an invoice is 'seikyusho'. A banknote is 'satsu'.
No, it is a 'tawaa' (tower).
自我测试 180 个问题
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Biru (ビル) is the standard Japanese word for modern, multi-story urban buildings. While it sounds like 'building', it is more specific to commercial structures and requires a short vowel sound to distinguish it from the word for 'beer'.
- Biru means 'building' and comes from the English word.
- It usually refers to office or commercial buildings, not houses.
- Be careful not to confuse it with 'biiru' (beer).
- It is written in Katakana because it is a loanword.
Short 'i'
Clip the 'i' sound quickly. Imagine you are being cut off.
Context Matters
If it has offices, it's a 'biru'. If it has beds, it's a 'manshon'.
Floor Counting
Remember 3rd floor is 'sangai' (voiced 'g').
Meeting Spots
Buildings are the most common meeting spots in Japan. Learn the names!
相关内容
更多general词汇
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2一点点；一下。用于委婉地提出请求或拒绝。
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2刚才；刚才不久。
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2用于表示谈论或思考的对象。
〜について
B1表示“关于”或“有关”的短语。
～ぐらい
A2日语助词，表示“大约”或“左右”。
ぐらい
A2大约有十个人。 (大约有10个人。)
