銭湯（せんとう、sentou）
- public bath

The Japanese word 銭湯 (せんとう) refers to a public bathhouse. These are communal bathing facilities where people can go to wash and relax. They are a significant part of Japanese culture and offer a place for social interaction as well as personal hygiene. They typically feature large baths filled with hot water, and may also include saunas, cold plunge pools, and outdoor baths.

⚫︎ 近所の銭湯 Translation: The neighborhood public bathhouse. ⚫︎ 週末は銭湯に行くのが好きです。 Translation: I like going to the public bathhouse on weekends. ⚫︎ 銭湯でリラックスしました。 Translation: I relaxed at the public bathhouse.

You can use 銭湯 when talking about going to, describing, or referring to a public bathhouse. It is a common word, understood by most people in Japan. You would use it in everyday conversation when planning a visit, sharing your experience, or recommending a public bathhouse to someone.

銭湯 is typically written with the kanji 銭 (meaning "money" or "coin") and 湯 (meaning "hot water" or "bath"). The reading is せんとう in hiragana. There is no other commonly used way to write this word. The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is standard.

⚫︎ There are no direct synonyms for 銭湯. However, words like 風呂 (bath) and 温泉 (hot spring) could be related depending on the context. 風呂 is a more general word for bath, and 温泉 refers to natural hot springs.

⚫︎ There is no direct antonym for 銭湯.

疲れたので、今日は銭湯に行ってゆっくりしたい。 ・Translation: Because I'm tired, I want to go to the public bathhouse and relax today. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses the desire to visit a 銭湯 for relaxation.

この銭湯は、露天風呂もあっておすすめです。 ・Translation: This public bathhouse is recommended because it also has an open-air bath. ・Explanation: This sentence provides information about a specific 銭湯 and its features.

The word 銭湯 is a compound word. 銭 initially referred to the fee paid for using the bathhouse (as it was originally a paid service), while 湯 clearly refers to the hot water baths themselves. Over time, the meaning shifted to solely indicate the bathhouse itself.