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郵便局
yūbin kyoku
post office
郵便局はどこですか？
Where is the post office?
formal
A public facility providing postal services such as mailing letters, packages, and handling other mail-related transactions.
郵便局で切手を買いました。
I bought stamps at the post office.
郵便局は9時から5時まで営業しています。
The post office is open from 9 AM to 5 PM.
In Japan, 郵便局 (yūbin kyoku) is operated by Japan Post and often includes additional services like banking (ゆうちょ銀行) and insurance.
Pro Tip
Finding a post office in Japan
Use the Japan Post website or app to locate nearby 郵便局. Many urban areas have small red-roofed buildings with a yellow sign reading '郵便局'.
Gold Rule
Postal services at 郵便局
Common services include sending letters/packages (国内/国際郵便), purchasing stamps (切手), and using postal boxes (郵便ポスト) for drop-off.
Word Origin
Composed of 郵便 (yūbin, 'postal service') + 局 (kyoku, 'office/bureau'). 郵便 comes from Chinese 郵便 (yóubiàn, 'postal service'), and 局 is a suffix denoting an office or agency.
Usage Notes
The term is universally understood in Japan. For international mail services, look for 郵便局 marked with '国際郵便' (international mail) or 'EMS' (Express Mail Service).
Word Breakdown
郵便
postal service
noun局
office/bureau
noun和英辞典