Meaning
The kanji 居 means to be (in a place), to exist, to reside, or to stay. Crucially, it refers only to the presence of animate beings — people and animals. This is one of the most important distinctions in Japanese: 居る (いる) is for living things, while 有る (ある) is for inanimate objects. Mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes at N2 level.
Look at the kanji's structure: the radical 尸 (a person in a seated posture) sits on top of 古 (old). Together they paint a picture of someone who has been sitting in one spot for so long they've grown old there — settled, rooted, present. This layered image of stillness runs through all of 居's meanings.
Beyond physical presence, 居 also captures the idea of settling down or taking up residence. It appears in 居間 (living room), the beloved 居酒屋 (Japanese pub), and words about whereabouts and a sense of belonging.
居 has 8 strokes and belongs to the Grade 5 school curriculum. Its wide use in everyday speech, compounds, and formal writing makes it indispensable at N2.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
On'yomi: キョ (kyo). This reading appears in compound words (熟語), particularly in formal or written contexts involving residence, relocation, and dwelling. Spot 居 in a two-kanji compound? キョ is almost always right.
- 同居 (dōkyo) — living together, cohabitation
- 転居 (tenkyo) — change of residence, moving house
- 住居 (jūkyo) — residence, dwelling, home
- 別居 (bekkyo) — living separately, marital separation
- 新居 (shinkyo) — new home, newly established residence
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
Two kun'yomi readings: い(る) (iru) and お(る) (oru).
い(る) is the standard modern verb for "to be" — the form you'll reach for 90% of the time. お(る) plays two roles: it's the humble (謙譲語) form used when referring to your own presence in formal speech, and it also serves as the plain form across Kansai dialect and western Japan.
- 居る (iru) — to be, to exist (for people and animals)
- 居間 (ima) — living room, sitting room
- 居場所 (ibasho) — one's place, whereabouts, sense of belonging
- 居心地 (igokochi) — how comfortable one feels in a place
- 居眠り (inemuri) — dozing off while seated
- 居座る (isuwaru) — to sit firmly, to entrench oneself, to refuse to leave
Common Words & Compounds
Residence and Living Arrangements
- 住居 (jūkyo) — residence, dwelling, home
- 同居 (dōkyo) — cohabitation, living together with someone
- 別居 (bekkyo) — living separately, spousal separation
- 転居 (tenkyo) — moving house, changing one's residence
- 新居 (shinkyo) — new home, newly occupied residence
- 居間 (ima) — living room, lounge
Location and Presence
- 居場所 (ibasho) — whereabouts; a place where one feels they belong
- 居所 (idokoro) — one's whereabouts, current location
- 居心地 (igokochi) — comfort level, atmosphere of a place
- 居合わせる (iawaseru) — to happen to be present at a scene
Actions and States of Being
- 居眠り (inemuri) — dozing while seated (e.g. on a train)
- 居座る (isuwaru) — to stay put stubbornly, to entrench oneself
- 居残る (inokoru) — to stay behind, to remain after others leave
Culture-Related Words
- 居酒屋 (izakaya) — Japanese pub or tavern, a casual drinking establishment
- 居合 (iai) — the Japanese sword-drawing martial art (iaido/iaijutsu)
Example Sentences
猫が部屋に居る。
Neko ga heya ni iru.
There is a cat in the room.
先生は居間でコーヒーを飲んでいます。
Sensei wa ima de kōhī wo nonde imasu.
The teacher is drinking coffee in the living room.
彼女は事故の現場に居合わせた。
Kanojo wa jiko no genba ni iawaseta.
She happened to be at the scene of the accident.
この居酒屋は居心地がとてもいい。
Kono izakaya wa igokochi ga totemo ii.
This izakaya has a really comfortable vibe.
電車の中で居眠りをしてしまった。
Densha no naka de inemuri wo shite shimatta.
I ended up dozing off on the train.
両親と同居している人が増えている。
Ryōshin to dōkyo shite iru hito ga fuete iru.
More and more people are living with their parents.
結婚後、二人は別居することになった。
Kekkon-go, futari wa bekkyo suru koto ni natta.
After getting married, the couple ended up living apart.
彼は新居に引っ越したばかりです。
Kare wa shinkyo ni hikkoshita bakari desu.
He just moved into his new place.
社長は辞任を求められても居座るつもりだ。
Shachō wa jinin wo motomerarete mo isuwaru tsumori da.
Even when asked to resign, the president plans to dig in.
自分の居場所が見つからなくて寂しい。
Jibun no ibasho ga mitsukaranakute sabishii.
I feel lonely because I can't find somewhere I belong.
Memory Tip
Picture a person (尸 — the top component, a figure leaning or seated) who has grown so old (古) sitting in one spot that they've practically fused with the furniture. An ancient, immovable figure who refuses to budge — that's 居: to be somewhere, to stay, to reside.
One rule covers it all: if something is alive and located somewhere, use 居る (いる).