うち
うちに来ませんか？
Won't you come to my home?
my home; our home; my family
今日はうちで休みます。
I'll rest at home today.
うちの猫は可愛いです。
Our cat is cute.
Used by the speaker to refer to their own home or family. More intimate than 家 (ie).
we; our group
うちはこのプロジェクトを支援します。
We support this project.
Refers to the speaker's own group, company, or family. Often used in casual speech.
inside; within; among
この中に答えがあります。
The answer is among these.
More literary or formal than 中 (なか).
while; during; before (something happens)
暗くならないうちに帰りましょう。
Let's go home before it gets dark.
Used with verbs in て-form or negative forms to indicate a time frame.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Casual vs. Formal
うち is informal. For formal contexts, use 家 (いえ) or 自宅 (じたく). うち can sound too casual in professional settings.
Gold Rule
Possessive vs. Location
うち means 'my home' when used as a noun (e.g., うちに来る = come to my home). It means 'inside' when used as a particle (e.g., 箱のうち = inside the box).
Word Origin
From Old Japanese *u* (house) + *-chi* (possessive/locative particle). The *-chi* particle merged into the word over time.
Usage Notes
うち is highly context-dependent. It can mean 'my home' (casual), 'we/our group' (casual), or 'inside/within' (formal). The meaning shifts based on the speaker's perspective and the surrounding context.