住宅（じゅうたく、juutaku）
- residence

The Japanese word 住宅 (じゅうたく, jū-taku) means "house," "residence," or "housing." It generally refers to a place where people live, encompassing various types of dwellings. It's a broad term that can include everything from apartments to detached houses. 住宅 specifically emphasizes the building itself and its purpose as a living space.

⚫︎新しい住宅 Translation: New house/residence. ⚫︎一戸建ての住宅 Translation: Detached house. ⚫︎住宅ローン Translation: Housing loan/mortgage.

You use 住宅 in contexts when you are talking about houses, apartments, or housing in general. It's suitable for discussing property, construction, and living arrangements. It's a common and versatile word used in both formal and informal situations.

⚫︎The word is typically written with the kanji 住宅. ⚫︎The reading is じゅうたく (jū-taku) in hiragana. ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana.

⚫︎家 (いえ, ie): This is a more general term for "house" or "home". ⚫︎住まい (すまい, sumai): This means "dwelling" or "residence," with a slightly softer connotation. ⚫︎住居 (じゅうきょ, jūkyo): Another term for "residence," often used in more formal contexts.

⚫︎There isn't a direct antonym for 住宅, as it is a noun describing a physical structure.

彼は新しい住宅を購入しました。 ・Translation: He bought a new house. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the purchase of a new home, using 住宅 to refer to the purchased property.

この地域は住宅不足の問題を抱えています。 ・Translation: This area has a housing shortage problem. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 住宅 to discuss a problem related to the availability of homes.

The word 住宅 is formed from the kanji 住 (jū), meaning "to live" or "reside," and 宅 (taku), meaning "house" or "dwelling." Thus, 住宅 literally translates to "dwelling for living."