Japanese word

隅

Pronunciation

Romajisumi

Meaning

  • nouncorner

Example

部屋の隅にいすがあります。heya no sumi ni i su ga a ri ma su

There is a chair in the corner of the room.

Illustration for 隅 (corner)

More examples

猫が部屋の隅で静かに寝ています。neko ga heya no sumi de shizu ka ni ne te i ma su

The cat is sleeping quietly in the corner of the room.

Core concept

Describes the part where two sides or edges meet, often away from the center.

Common phrases

  • 部屋の隅heya no sumi

    corner of the room

  • 隅に座るsumi ni suwa ru

    sit in the corner

  • 隅に置くsumi ni o ku

    put in the corner

Similar words

角kado: The sharp point or line where two sides or edges meet, often on the outside of an object.
隅っこsumikko: A casual word for a corner or tucked-away part of a room or space.

Definition in Japanese

物や場所の端にできる、中央から離れた角の部分。mono ya ba sho no hashi ni de ki ru chū ō ka ra hana re ta kado no bu bun

Word origin

The native Japanese word 隅 (sumi, "corner") received the kanji 隅 as its written form, but no more specific earlier etymology is certain.

Usage tips

  • Japanese distinguishes the inside corner of a room as 隅 (sumi) from a sharp outside corner, which is more often called 角 (kado, "corner").

Related words

  • 隅っこsumikkocornernoun

Word lists with this word