診療所（しんりょうじょ、shinryoujo）
- clinic

The Japanese word 診療所 (しんりょうじょ) means "clinic" or "medical clinic." It refers to a healthcare facility that provides medical examinations, diagnoses, and treatments, typically on an outpatient basis. 診療所 are generally smaller than hospitals and often specialize in a specific area of medicine, such as general practice, pediatrics, or dermatology. They provide accessible and immediate medical care for a variety of conditions.

⚫︎ 風邪を引いたので、近くの診療所に行きました。 Translation: I went to the nearby clinic because I caught a cold. ⚫︎ 皮膚科の診療所でアレルギーの検査を受けました。 Translation: I had an allergy test at the dermatology clinic. ⚫︎ この診療所は、予防接種も行っています。 Translation: This clinic also provides vaccinations.

You use 診療所 in conversation when referring to a clinic or medical facility that provides medical services. You can use it to describe where you went for medical treatment, where someone works, or the type of medical services provided there. It's appropriate in both formal and informal contexts.

診療所 is typically written in kanji and hiragana: 診療所. The reading is しんりょうじょ. There are no other ways to write this word or variations in the okurigana.

⚫︎ クリニック (kurinikku) - clinic (loanword from English) ⚫︎ 医院 (iin) - clinic (more formal than 診療所)

⚫︎ 病院 (byouin) - hospital

体調が悪かったので、内科の診療所を受診しました。 ・Translation: I went to the internal medicine clinic because I wasn't feeling well. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 診療所 to specify the type of clinic visited (internal medicine).

子供の予防接種のため、小児科の診療所に行きました。 ・Translation: I went to the pediatrics clinic for my child's vaccinations. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates using 診療所 in the context of a pediatrics clinic for vaccinations.

The word 診療所 is formed from: ⚫︎ 診療 (shinryou) - medical examination and treatment ⚫︎ 所 (jo) - place, location Therefore, 診療所 literally means "a place for medical examination and treatment."