What does 室 mean in Japanese?
室 means “room.” It usually comes at the end of a word that names a room by its use, as in 教室 (kyoushitsu, classroom) and 会議室 (kaigishitsu, meeting room).
At school, at work, and in hotels, you will see 室 on signs and floor guides.
Reading
On’yomi: シツ (shitsu)
Kun’yomi: むろ (muro)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 室 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | room |
| Stroke Count | 9 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
How to Understand This Kanji
室 is used in written words and on signs for rooms with a set purpose. For a room in your own home, everyday speech uses 部屋 (heya): 私の部屋 means “my room.” 室 rarely stands alone as a word; it usually joins another kanji, as in 図書室 (school library).
Common Words
- 教室（きょうしつ / kyoushitsu） — classroom
- 会議室（かいぎしつ / kaigishitsu） — meeting room, conference room
- 寝室（しんしつ / shinshitsu） — bedroom
- 和室（わしつ / washitsu） — Japanese-style room with tatami
- 図書室（としょしつ / toshoshitsu） — library room (in a school or office)
- 室内（しつない / shitsunai） — indoors, inside a room
Example Sentences
-
教室に学生が二十人います。
きょうしつにがくせいがにじゅうにんいます。 / Kyoushitsu ni gakusei ga nijuunin imasu.
There are twenty students in the classroom.
-
会議室は二階にあります。
かいぎしつはにかいにあります。 / Kaigishitsu wa nikai ni arimasu.
The meeting room is on the second floor.
-
寒いので、室内で遊びましょう。
さむいので、しつないであそびましょう。 / Samui node, shitsunai de asobimashou.
It’s cold, so let’s play indoors.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Learn 室 as the on’yomi シツ; the kun’yomi むろ is rare in modern Japanese. In 教室 and 会議室, シツ follows the word that tells you what the room is for. Do not write 室 when you mean 部屋 in everyday sentences. The top part of 室 is the roof radical 宀, also seen in 家 (house).
Summary
Read 室 as シツ, use it in room names such as 教室 and 会議室, and use 部屋 for a room at home.
Want to study more JLPT N4 kanji by theme? See our JLPT N4 Kanji Study List.