泊 — Overnight Stay, Lodge

Meaning

The kanji 泊 (haku, to.maru, to.meru) means 'overnight stay,' 'lodging,' or 'mooring' (for a boat). It is essential for discussing travel, accommodation, and the duration of journeys. The character is composed of two parts: the water radical 氵 (sanzui) on the left, and 白 (shiro or haku), meaning 'white' or 'daybreak,' on the right.

The water radical 氵 strongly links this kanji to water-related activities. Originally, it referred to a boat stopping and anchoring at a port or shore. This literal meaning extends metaphorically to humans stopping and staying overnight in a place, much like a boat 'stays' at anchor. While 白 often means 'white,' it also suggests 'daybreak' or 'dawn.' When a boat moors or a person lodges, they usually do so for the duration of the night until morning. Therefore, 白 hints at the passage of night into day, emphasizing the 'overnight' aspect of a stay. This visual combination of water and morning's arrival perfectly captures the idea of taking shelter for the night.

This 8-stroke kanji is part of the JLPT N3 level, indicating its intermediate importance for Japanese language comprehension.

Readings

On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings

The primary On'yomi reading for 泊 is ハク (haku). This reading appears in compound words, especially those indicating the duration or type of stay, often counting nights.

宿泊しゅくはく (shukuhaku) — lodging, accommodation. This compound is frequently used to refer to staying at a hotel or inn.
一泊いっぱく (ippaku) — one night's stay. This is a very common expression when referring to a trip's duration, such as a 'one-night, two-day trip' (一泊二日).
連泊れんぱく (renpaku) — consecutive nights' stay. Used when one stays for multiple nights without changing accommodation.

Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings

The main Kun'yomi readings for 泊 are と.まる (to.maru) and と.める (to.meru). These verbs describe the act of staying or causing someone/something to stay.

と.まる (to.maru): This is an intransitive verb meaning 'to stay overnight', 'to lodge', or 'to be moored'. It refers to oneself or an object staying somewhere.
泊まるとまる (tomaru) — to stay (overnight). For example, 旅館に泊まる (ryokan ni tomaru) means 'to stay at a Japanese inn'.
船が港に泊まるふねがみなとにとまる (fune ga minato ni tomaru) — a boat moors in the harbor.
と.める (to.meru): This is a transitive verb meaning 'to put up (someone)', 'to moor (a boat)', or 'to cause to stay'. It refers to an action performed on someone or something else.
客を泊めるきゃくをとめる (kyaku o tomeru) — to put up a guest.
船を岸に泊めるふねをきしにとめる (fune o kishi ni tomeru) — to moor a boat to the shore.

Common Words & Compounds

Here are various compounds and words featuring 泊, grouped by their thematic context. These examples illustrate its broad use in Japanese vocabulary:

Accommodation & Duration of Stay

宿泊施設しゅくはくしせつ (shukuhaku shisetsu) — accommodation facilities
宿泊料しゅくはくりょう (shukuhakuryō) — lodging fee
二泊三日にはくみっか (nihaku mikka) — two nights, three days
外泊がいはく (gaihaku) — staying out overnight, sleeping away from home
夜泊やはく (yahaku) — night stay, overnight stop (often for boats)
宿泊者しゅくはくしゃ (shukuhakusha) — lodger, guest

Nautical & Maritime Context

停泊ていはく (teihaku) — anchorage, mooring (of a ship)
停泊地ていはくち (teihakuchi) — anchorage (place)
泊地はくち (hakuchi) — anchorage, mooring ground
抜錨泊ばつびょうはく (batsubyōhaku) — weighing anchor

General Use & Related Terms

泊まりとまり (tomari) — overnight stay (noun form of とまる)
日帰りひがえり (higaeri) — day trip (contrasting with an overnight stay)
旅館りょかん (ryokan) — traditional Japanese inn (a place to 泊まる)

Example Sentences

今夜こんやは友達ともだちの家いえに泊とまる予定よていです。

Konya wa tomodachi no ie ni tomaru yotei desu.

I plan to stay at my friend's house tonight.

明日あしたは大阪おおさかに一泊いっぱくします。

Ashita wa Ōsaka ni ippaku shimasu.

Tomorrow I will stay one night in Osaka.

このホテルはペットを泊とめることができますか。

Kono hoteru wa petto o tomeru koto ga dekimasu ka?

Can this hotel accommodate pets?

出張しゅっちょうで三泊さんぱくしました。

Shutchō de sanpaku shimashita.

I stayed three nights for the business trip.

船ふねは安全あんぜんな港みなとに停泊ていはくしている。

Fune wa anzen na minato ni teihaku shiteiru.

The ship is anchored in a safe harbor.

彼女かのじょは仕事しごとで何日なんにちか外泊がいはくすることがある。

Kanojo wa shigoto de nannichi ka gaihaku suru koto ga aru.

She sometimes stays out overnight for work for several days.

家族かぞくで温泉旅館おんせんりょかんに二泊三日にはくみっかの旅行りょこうをしました。

Kazoku de onsen ryokan ni nihaku mikka no ryokō o shimashita.

My family went on a two-night, three-day trip to a hot spring inn.

嵐あらしのため、船長せんちょうは船ふねを港みなとに泊とめることを決定けっていした。

Arashi no tame, senchō wa fune o minato ni tomeru koto o kettei shita.

Due to the storm, the captain decided to moor the ship in the harbor.

Memory Tip

Imagine a boat with the water radical (氵) stopping its journey. The component 白 (white) can remind you of daybreak. This suggests the boat (or you!) will stay there all night until morning. Thus, 泊 visually represents a boat on water, stopping until morning for an overnight stay or to lodge. This connection helps cement its meaning of 'overnight stay' or 'mooring'.