The Meaning of sumu [住む] In Japanese

住む
すむ
Romaji: sumu N5

What does 住む mean?

Translation and Meaning

to live, to reside, to dwell

Definition

It means ‘to live’ or ‘to reside’. The verb denotes occupying or making a place one’s home—stating where a person, family, or creature has its residence and implying an ongoing or habitual presence at that location.

Type

verb (godan/u-verb; intransitive) (五段動詞・自動詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • 1. To inhabit a place for an extended period or permanently, often contrasted with short-term stays.
  • 2. To occupy a building, city, or region (can apply to humans, animals, or populations).
  • 3. Figurative use: to dwell in someone’s mind or feelings (expressing that an idea or memory ‘lives’ within).
  • 4. Used in compounds to indicate settling or establishing a base (sense shifts slightly depending on the compound).

Origin

Attested in Old Japanese and classical literature, the verb has been part of the language for centuries as the basic lexical item used to express residence and settlement; its use expanded with population growth and urbanization but the core concept remained consistent.

Composition

住 (su) carries the core meaning of ‘dwell’ or ‘reside’ (a person radical combined with the element for ‘master’ or ‘main’), and the verb is written as 住む (sumu) where the hiragana (-mu) is the classical verb ending that marks it as a native Godan (u-) intransitive verb.

Usage

Used across everyday speech and writing to state or ask where someone lives, to describe living arrangements, or to indicate habitual residence; casual forms include the dictionary 住む (sumu) and progressive 住んでいる (sunde iru), while polite speech uses 住みます (sumimasu) and formal/written contexts may prefer compounds like 居住する for legal or official statements.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: think 住む (sumu) rhymes with ‘room’ in your mind—’sumu’ → ‘room’ → place where you live.

Variations

  • 住まう (sumau) — archaic/formal variant of ‘to live’.
  • 暮らす (kurasu) — ‘to live’ with emphasis on lifestyle and daily life.
  • 居る (iru) — ‘to be’ for animate existence, used with locations.
  • 引っ越す (hikkosu) — ‘to move (residence)’ (opposite action: leave one residence for another).
住む