住

JLPT N4

Live, reside

Readings

On’yomi: ジュウ, チュウ (juu, chū)

Kun’yomi: す(む), す(まう) (su(mu), su(mau))

• す(む) – to live, to reside • す(まう) – to dwell (archaic, poetic form)

Structure

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Detailed Explanation

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Mnemonic

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Etymology

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Visual Tip

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Vocabulary

住む

すむ

to live

住所

じゅうしょ

address

住宅

じゅうたく

house

永住

えいじゅう

permanent residence

居住

きょじゅう

residence

Example Sentences

東京に住みます。

とうきょうにすみます。

I live in Tokyo.

住所を書きます。

じゅうしょをかきます。

I write my address.

新しい住宅です。

あたらしいじゅうたくです。

It is a new house.

日本に永住します。

にほんにえいじゅうします。

I will live permanently in Japan.

都会に居住します。

とかいにきょじゅうします。

I reside in the city.

Cultural Note

🏯 In Japan, the idea of 住 (living) extends far beyond just a physical location — it connects to peace, harmony, and belonging.
People often say 住めば都（すめばみやこ）, meaning “Where you live becomes your capital.” It expresses that any place can feel like home if you make it yours.
Additionally, Japanese culture places great importance on the 住 environment — small spaces are optimized beautifully, with concepts like 間 (ま) — “space” and 和 (わ) — “harmony” influencing how homes are designed.
Addresses (住所) in Japan also have an intricate system tied to community and neighborhood identity, reflecting how much 住まい connects to one’s sense of belonging.