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図書館
toshokan
library
図書館で本を借りました。
I borrowed a book from the library.
formal
A building or institution where books and other materials are kept for reading, study, or reference.
図書館は静かにしてください。
Please be quiet in the library.
市立図書館には多くの本があります。
The city library has many books.
図書館 can also refer to a collection of books (e.g., a digital library), but the primary sense is a physical or institutional space.
Pro Tip
Distinguishing 図書館 and 図書室
図書館 refers to a public or institutional library building, while 図書室 (toshoshitsu) means a smaller library room, often within a school or office. Think of 図書館 as a 'library' and 図書室 as a 'library room.'
Gold Rule
Using 図書館 in sentences
When describing actions at a library, use に (ni) to indicate location: 図書館に行く (go to the library), 図書館で本を読む (read a book at the library).
Word Origin
From 図書 (tosho, 'books') + 館 (kan, 'building'), meaning 'building for books.' 図書 combines 図 (to, 'plan' or 'drawing') and 書 (sho, 'write' or 'book'), originally referring to documents or records. 館 means a large building or hall.
Usage Notes
図書館 is the standard term for a public or institutional library in Japanese. In informal contexts, ライブラリー (from English) may be used, especially for digital libraries or modern spaces. The word is always written in kanji; no hiragana/katakana variants are standard.
Word Breakdown
図書
books/documents
root館
building/hall
suffix和英辞典