薬局（やっきょく、yaっkyoku）
- pharmacy

The word 薬局 (やっきょく) means "pharmacy" or "drugstore." It's a place where you can purchase medications, health-related products, and often, other items like toiletries and basic medical supplies. A 薬局 typically has a pharmacist who can provide information about medications and their usage.

⚫︎ 風邪薬は薬局で買えますか？ Translation: Can I buy cold medicine at the pharmacy? ⚫︎ 近所に新しい薬局ができました。 Translation: A new pharmacy opened in the neighborhood. ⚫︎ 医師の処方箋を持って、薬局に行きました。 Translation: I went to the pharmacy with a doctor's prescription.

You use 薬局 in conversations when discussing places to buy medicine, health products, or when referring to the pharmacy itself. It is a common word, and understood by everyone.

⚫︎ Kanji: 薬局 ⚫︎ Hiragana: やっきょく ⚫︎ Katakana: This word is not typically written in katakana. ⚫︎ Okurigana: The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is standard. There are no variations.

There aren't many direct synonyms, but you might use: ⚫︎ ドラッグストア (doraggu sutoa) - Drugstore (often a larger store with more items than a 薬局).

There aren't direct antonyms, but you could consider places *not* selling medication.

熱があるので、薬局で解熱剤を買います。 ・Translation: I have a fever, so I will buy a fever reducer at the pharmacy. ・Explanation: This sentence demonstrates a common use of the word, in the context of buying medicine.

この薬局には、色々な種類の絆創膏があります。 ・Translation: This pharmacy has various types of bandages. ・Explanation: This sentence shows that pharmacies also sell other medical supplies.

The word 薬局 is a compound word: ⚫︎ 薬 (kusuri) - medicine, drug ⚫︎ 局 (kyoku) - office, bureau, place Therefore, 薬局 literally translates to "medicine office" or "medicine place".