Meaning

Primary

Human Habitation

Alternative

Village

Word Type

noun

Explanation

A person's hometown is a human habitation, or a village. This word has a slightly old-fashioned feel, and it's usually used for small villages in the countryside.

It's often combined with はなれた (separated) to talk about how far away from the nearest human habitation something is.

Reading

ひとざと
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

This jukugo uses the kun'yomi of the kanji instead of the more usual on'yomi. You learned both of these readings when you learned the vocabulary and . Just notice that さと becomes ざと, because of rendaku.

Context

Pattern of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 人里に出る

    to go out to the village

    人里に下りる

    to go down to the village

    人里に来る

    to come to the village

Context Sentences

この町は、人里に近い。

This town is close to human habitation.

人里からはなれた山に家が有ります。

There is a house in the mountain far from the village.

人里にクマが出てくることがある。

Sometimes, bears show up in villages.

Kanji Composition