The Meaning of kurashi [暮らし] In Japanese

暮らし
くらし
Romaji: kurashi N5

What does 暮らし mean?

Translation and Meaning

living, daily life, livelihood, way of life, living conditions

Definition

暮らし means the daily life and the state of living of a person or community, encompassing routines, home life, and the overall lifestyle or living conditions that define how people inhabit their days.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • day-to-day living and routines that shape a person or group’s life
  • living conditions and the environment in which someone lives
  • lifestyle or way of living, including habits, values, and preferences
  • domestic or household life, family life, and daily management of a home
  • discussion of quality of life, social conditions, and welfare related to living standards

Etymology

暮 has kun’yomi くら, くれ; the verb 暮らす is formed by adding らす to the stem, giving the common reading くらす; 暮らし is the noun form derived from that verb, indicating the state or act of living.

Origin

Historically the noun described domestic and daily life in classical Japanese, with modern usage broadening to include lifestyle and living standards across urban and rural contexts.

Composition

  • 暮: to live, spend time; evokes daily life, dusk and the idea of spending one’s days

Usage

Used in formal and casual speech to refer to the way people live, their daily routines, housing, and lifestyle. In formal writing it appears in essays, reports, and policy discussions about quality of life; in everyday speech it denotes one’s ordinary life and living situation.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture a cozy home at dusk where you spend every day; the image of 暮 as dusk links to daily spending of time, helping recall 暮らし as the life you spend day by day.

Variations

  • 生活 seikatsu (生活) – daily life, living; romaji seikatsu
  • 日常 nichijō (日常) – everyday life; romaji nichijō
  • 生活様式 seikatsuyōshiki (生活様式) – lifestyle or mode of living; romaji seikatsuyōshiki

Example Phrases

  • 最近の暮らしは、節約と時間管理が大切だ。
    Saikin no kurashi wa, setsuyaku to jikan kanri ga taisetsu da.
    In modern life, thrift and time management are important.
    Lista:
    • 最近の (saikin no) – recent
    • 暮らし (kurashi) – daily life
    • 節約 (setsuyaku) – thrift; savings
    • 時間管理 (jikan kanri) – time management
    • 大切 (taisetsu) – important
    In this sentence, 「暮らし」 means ‘daily life’ (noun); it is modified by 「最近の」 using の, forming ‘recent life’, and the topic is marked by 「は」.
暮らし