Translation and Meaning of: 部 - bu

The Japanese word 「部」 (bu) is a kanji with a robust and versatile meaning, often used in the Japanese language to describe parts, sections, or divisions of something larger. This idea of division is at the heart of its main meaning, which can refer to departments in a company, sections of a book, or even groups in an organization. It is an integral part of the Japanese vocabulary, essential for the correct understanding of many social and business contexts.

Etymologically, the kanji 「部」 is formed by the radicals 「⻂」 (mīn), which means "city" or "village" and is associated with community or group, and 「口」 (kuchi), which means "mouth" or "opening," and often represents something that is open or an entrance. Together, they convey the idea of a portion of a city or a 'part' where people gather. This composition accurately reflects the use of the kanji to indicate divisions or sections.

Regarding its origin, 「部」 (bu) has roots in ancient Chinese, where it also meant division or part. This idea was incorporated into Japanese during the adoption of Chinese characters (kanji) in Japanese writing. The continued use of this word in Japan over the centuries has solidified its place in the foundations of both the language and culture, playing a significant role in various aspects of daily life, from the structure of school subjects to administrative divisions in companies.

Variações e usos comuns

• 社内部 (shanai-bu): Refers to internal departments within a company.
• 部活 (bukatsu): Abbreviation for extracurricular school activities or clubs, such as music or sports clubs.
• 部分 (bubun): Means a section or part of a whole, usually used in more literal or physical contexts.

In summary, the word 「部」 (bu) is an essential element of modern Japanese vocabulary, reflecting a variety of concepts related to parts and divisions. Its rich etymology, originating from collective and organizational notions, makes it a fundamental part of understanding the structural functioning in both language and Japanese culture.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 課 (Ka) - Department, section, or specific course in an educational or organizational context.
• グループ (Guruupu) - Group, a collection of people who work together.
• セクション (Sekushon) - Section, a part of a whole, often used in an organizational context or in documents.
• チーム (Chiimu) - Team, a group of people who collaborate to achieve a common goal.
• ユニット (Yunitto) - Unit, a part of a larger system, which may refer to teams or departments.

部

Romaji: bu
Kana: ぶ
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: Department; part; category; counter for copies of a newspaper or magazine

Meaning in English: department;part;category;counter for copies of a newspaper or magazine

Definition: Refers to a floor of a building or facility, or to a field or department.

Example Sentences - (部) bu

See below some example sentences:

彼は自分の部屋にランプを吊るした。

Kare wa jibun no heya ni ranpu o tsuru shita

He hung a lamp in his room.

• 彼 (kare) - he (personal pronoun)
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 自分 (jibun) - Yourself
• の (no) - Possessive particle
• 部屋 (heya) - Room, living room
• に (ni) - Location particle
• ランプ (ranpu) - lâmpada
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 吊るす (tsurusu) - pendurar
• た (ta) - past form of the verb

彼女は突然部屋から飛び出した。

Kanojo wa totsuzen heya kara tobidashta

She ran out of the room suddenly.

Suddenly, she jumped out of the room.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - "Ela" significa "彼女" (kanojo) em japonês.
• は (wa) - Japanese topic particle
• 突然 (totsuzen) - adverb meaning "suddenly" in Japanese
• 部屋 (heya) - means "room" in Japanese
• から (kara) - particle indicating origin or starting point in Japanese
• 飛び出した (tobidashita) - verb meaning "jumped" or "ran" in Japanese

彼女は仕舞う前に部屋を片付けた。

Kanojo wa shimau mae ni heya wo katazuketa

She tidied up the room before finishing.

She cleaned the room before the end.

• 彼女 - she
• は - Topic particle
• 仕舞う - tidy, store
• 前に - before
• 部屋 - Room, living room
• を - direct object particle
• 片付けた - tidied up, organized

本部に行く予定です。

Hombu ni iku yotei desu

I intend to go to headquarters.

• 本部 (honbu) - It means "headquarters" or "main office".
• に (ni) - A noun that indicates the location where something happens.
• 行く (iku) - a verb that means "to go".
• 予定 (yotei) - means "plan" or "schedule".
• です (desu) - a particle that indicates the polite or respectful way of speaking.

汚い部屋を掃除しましょう。

Kitanai heya wo souji shimashou

Vamos limpar o quarto sujo.

Limpe a sala suja.

• 汚い - sujo
• 部屋 - fourth
• を - direct object particle
• 掃除 - cleaning
• しましょう - let's do it

煙い部屋で過ごすのは苦手です。

Nebai heya de sugosu no wa nigate desu

I'm not good at spending time in a smoke room.

• 煙い (kusai) - full of smoke
• 部屋 (heya) - Room, living room
• で (de) - in, within
• 過ごす (sugosu) - spend time)
• のは (no wa) - Topic particle
• 苦手 (nigate) - not being good at, not liking
• です (desu) - to be, to be (polite form)

片仮名は日本語のアルファベットの一部です。

Katakana wa nihongo no arufabetto no ichibu desu

Katakana is part of the Japanese alphabet.

• 片仮名 - Japanese characters used to write words of Japanese origin
• は - Topic particle
• 日本語 - Japanese language
• の - Possessive particle
• アルファベット - alfabeto
• の - Possessive particle
• 一部 - part
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

私の部下はとても優秀です。

Watashi no buka wa totemo yuushuu desu

My subordinates are very good.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の (no) - particle that indicates possession, equivalent to "de" in English
• 部下 (buka) - "Subordinate" is a noun that means "subordinate".
• は (wa) - particle that marks the topic of the sentence
• とても (totemo) - adverb meaning "very"
• 優秀 (yuushuu) - adjective that means "excellent"
• です (desu) - auxiliary verb that indicates the present tense and formality

私の部屋はとてもきれいです。

Watashi no heya wa totemo kirei desu

My room is very clean.

My room is very beautiful.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の (no) - partícula que indica posse, neste caso, "minha"
• 部屋 (heya) - noun that means "room"
• は (wa) - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "room"
• とても (totemo) - adverb meaning "very"
• きれい (kirei) - adjective meaning "beautiful, clean"
• です (desu) - verb that indicates to be or to exist, in this case, "is"

私は部屋を整理する必要があります。

Watashi wa heya wo seiri suru hitsuyou ga arimasu

I need to organize my room.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 部屋 (heya) - noun that means "room"
• を (wo) - object particle indicating the direct object of the action
• 整理する (seiri suru) - Composite verb meaning "organize"
• 必要があります (hitsuyou ga arimasu) - Expression that means "it is necessary"