Japanese word

所在

Pronunciation

Romajishozai

Meaning

  • nounwhereabouts

Example

友達の所在を確認します。tomo dachi no sho zai o kaku nin shi ma su

I check my friend's whereabouts.

Illustration for 所在 (whereabouts)

More examples

書類の所在が分からず、担当者に聞きました。sho rui no sho zai ga wa ka ra zu tan tō sha ni ki ki ma shi ta

I did not know where the documents were, so I asked the person in charge.

Core concept

The word focuses on the state of a person or thing being in a particular place, often when that place needs to be identified.

Common phrases

  • 所在を突き止めるsho zai o tsu ki to me ru

    determine someone's whereabouts

  • 所在を把握するsho zai o ha aku su ru

    keep track of someone's whereabouts

  • 所在を確認するsho zai o kaku nin su ru

    verify someone's whereabouts

Similar words

場所basho: A general term for the place where a person or thing is situated.
位置ichi: A specific point or area where a person or thing is situated.
行方yukue: The whereabouts of a person or thing that has disappeared or cannot be found.

Definition in Japanese

人や物がどこにあるかということ。hito ya mono ga do ko ni a ru ka to i u ko to

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese noun 所在 (shozai) combines 所 (sho, "place") and 在 (zai, "exist or be present"), giving the sense of where something is present.

Usage tips

  • In reports and official notices, 所在不明 (shozai fumei) indicates that a person's or object's location is unknown, giving the term a more formal tone than 場所 (basho, "place").

Other meanings

  • locationnoun
  • positionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 所在するshozaisurube locatedverb

Word lists with this word