Translation and Meaning of: 店 - ten

If you are studying Japanese or have an interest in the language, you may have come across the word 店[てん]. It is common in everyday life and appears in various contexts, from shop signs to dialogues in animes. In this article, we will explore its meaning, origin, and how it is used in Japanese culture. Furthermore, we will see practical tips to memorize it and understand its role in compound expressions.

Meaning and usage of 店[てん]

The word 店[てん] means "store" or "commercial establishment" in Japanese. It is a term widely used to refer to any type of business, from small neighborhood shops to large retail chains. Its kanji, 店, is composed of the radical 广 (which indicates building) and 占 (related to occupying space), reinforcing the idea of a place where commercial activities take place.

In daily life, you will find 店 in words like 本屋[ほんや] (bookstore) or 喫茶店[きっさてん] (café). It also appears in combinations like 店長[てんちょう] (store manager) and 閉店[へいてん] (store closing). Being a neutral term, it can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Origin and writing of the kanji 店

The kanji 店 has Chinese origins and was incorporated into Japanese during the period of cultural influence from China. Its structure combines the radical 广, which represents roofs or buildings, with the component 占, associated with occupation or ownership. Together, they convey the notion of a space dedicated to commerce.

It is worth noting that 店 is one of the most frequent kanjis at the N4 level of the JLPT, making it essential for students. A tip for memorizing it is to associate its radical 广 with other kanjis of places, such as 庭[にわ] (garden) or 庁[ちょう] (government agency).

Curiosities and Cultural Context

In Japan, the word 店 is not limited to just physical establishments. It is also used in digital contexts, such as ネット店[ねっとてん] (online store). Additionally, it is common to see advertisements with phrases like 当店[とうてん] (our store) or 全店[ぜんてん] (all stores), showcasing its versatility.

An interesting fact is that, in some regional dialects, such as the one from Osaka, the pronunciation can vary slightly, but the meaning remains the same. Another relevant point is that 店 often appears in the names of traditional restaurants, such as 寿司店[すしてん] (sushi shop), reinforcing its connection with Japanese culinary culture.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 商店 (shōten) - Store, commercial establishment
• 店舗 (tenpo) - Place of sale, store, branch
• 店舗施設 (tenpo shisetsu) - Commercial installations, store space
• 店鋪 (tenpō) - Commercial establishment, store
• 店家 (tenka) - Shop house, commercial establishment
• 店鋪房 (tenpōbō) - Store space, commercial area
• 店鋪屋 (tenpōya) - Store building, physical store
• 店鋪房屋 (tenpōbōya) - House for shop, commercial building
• 店鋪内部 (tenpōnaibu) - Store interior, internal decoration
• 店鋪外観 (tenpōgaikan) - Store exterior, front appearance
• 店鋪看板 (tenpōkanban) - Store panel, directional sign
• 店鋪経営 (tenpōkeiei) - Store management, commercial administration
• 店鋪営業 (tenpōeigyō) - Store operation, business dealings
• 店鋪販売 (tenpōhanbai) - Store sales, trade of products
• 店鋪売り場 (tenpōuriba) - Store sales area, commercial section
• 店鋪商品 (tenpōshōhin) - Store products, available merchandise
• 店鋪品揃え (tenpōhinsoroe) - Selection of store products, variety of items
• 店鋪品質 (tenpōhinshitsu) - Product quality from the store, quality standards
• 店鋪サービス (tenpōsābisu) - Store services, customer support

店

Romaji: ten
Kana: てん
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: store; establishment

Meaning in English: store;shop;establishment

Definition: Place where products are sold or services are provided.

Example Sentences - (店) ten

See below some example sentences:

この店にはたくさんの種類の商品があります。

Kono mise ni wa takusan no shurui no shōhin ga arimasu

There are many kinds of products in this store.

• この店には - indicate the location where the products are available
• たくさんの - means "many"
• 種類の - refers to the types of products available
• 商品が - means "products"
• あります - it is the verb "to exist" in the polite form

人気がある店はいつも混んでいます。

Ninki ga aru mise wa itsumo konde imasu

Popular stores are always crowded.

Popular stores are always crowded.

• 人気がある - popular
• 店 - store
• は - marcador de tópico
• いつも - always
• 混んでいます - crowded

向かいの店に行きたいです。

Mukai no mise ni ikitai desu

I want to go to the store on the other side.

I want to go to the opposite store.

• 向かいの店 - "Mukai no mise" means "store on the other side of the street."
• に - particle that indicates the target of the action, in this case "to".
• 行きたい - "ikitai" is the polite form of saying "I want to go."
• です - particle that indicates the formality of the sentence, in this case "is".

小売店で買い物をするのが好きです。

Shouretsu ten de kaimono wo suru no ga suki desu

I like to shop at retail stores.

I like to shop at a retail store.

• 小売店 (shōriten) - retail store
• で (de) - Particle that indicates the place where the action occurs
• 買い物 (kaimono) - shopping
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the action.
• する (suru) - make
• のが (noga) - particle that indicates personal preference
• 好き (suki) - like
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

市街地にはたくさんのお店があります。

Shigai chi ni wa takusan no omise ga arimasu

There are many stores in the city.

• 市街地 - urban area
• に - particle indicating location
• は - particle indicating sentence topic
• たくさん - many
• の - Particle that indicates possession
• お店 - Shops
• が - Particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• あります - verb that indicates existence

格が高い店に行きたいです。

Kaku ga takai mise ni ikitai desu Translation: I want to go to a high

end store.

I want to go to a high-ranking store.

• 格が高い - means "of high quality" or "of high level".
• 店 - means "store" or "establishment".
• に - It's a particle that indicates the direction or the target of the action.
• 行きたい - it is a form of the verb "to go" in the present tense and indicates desire or will.
• です - It is a polite way to end a sentence in Japanese, equivalent to "please" or "thank you" in Portuguese.

私は書店で本を買いました。

Watashi wa shoten de hon o kaimashita

I bought a book at the bookstore.

I bought a book at a bookstore.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 書店 - Japanese noun meaning "bookstore"
• で - particle indicating the place where the action took place
• 本 - Japanese noun meaning "book"
• を - Particle indicating the direct object of the action.
• 買いました - Japanese verb meaning "bought" (past tense)