Japanese word

旧

Pronunciation

Romajikyū

Meaning

  • nounformer

Example

旧住所を教えてください。kyū jū sho o oshi e te ku da sa i

Please tell me your former address.

Illustration for 旧 (former)

More examples

市は旧市役所を文化施設として利用しています。shi wa kyū shi yaku sho o bun ka shi setsu to shi te ri yō shi te i ma su

The city uses the former city hall as a cultural center.

Core concept

Marks something as belonging to an earlier state, time, or name rather than the current one.

Common phrases

  • 旧市街kyū shi gai

    old town

  • 旧に復するkyū ni fuku su ru

    return to the former state

Similar words

元moto: A person, role, or thing associated with a previous position or condition.
前mae: A person, role, or thing from an earlier point in time or order.

Definition in Japanese

現在のものに対して、以前に使われていたもの。gen zai no mo no ni tai shi te i zen ni tsuka wa re te i ta mo no

Word origin

The modern character 旧 (kyū, "old or former") developed as the simplified form of 舊 (kyū, "old"), a character borrowed from Chinese writing.

Usage tips

  • On forms and in personal records, 旧姓 (kyūsei, "former surname") identifies the surname used before a legal or personal name change.

Other meanings

  • oldnoun

Opposites

  • 新shinnewnoun

Word lists with this word