奥(おく)

おく
noun
interior, back
1. interior, back, depths
The innermost or furthest part of a space, away from the entrance.
部屋(へや)の奥(おく)にある。
It's at the back of the room.
店(みせ)の奥(おく)にトイレがあります。
The restroom is at the back of the store.
もう少(すこ)し奥(おく)に進(すす)んでください。
Please go a little further back.
森(もり)の奥(おく)に湖(みずうみ)がありました。とても静(しず)かな場所(ばしょ)でした。
There was a lake deep in the forest. It was a very quiet place.
引(ひ)き出(だ)しの奥(おく)を探(さが)したら、昔(むかし)の写真(しゃしん)が出(で)てきた。懐(なつ)かしい思(おも)い出(で)がよみがえった。
When I searched the back of the drawer, old photos came out. Nostalgic memories came back to me.

奥(おく) indicates the deep interior or back of a space, opposite to the entrance (手前(てまえ)). It's used for buildings (部屋(へや)の奥(おく) - back of the room), natural spaces (山(やま)の奥(おく) - deep in the mountains), and even abstract concepts (心(こころ)の奥(おく) - depths of one's heart). 奥(おく)さん (okusan) is also a polite term for someone else's wife.

Related Words

Antonym: 手前(てまえ) (this side)
core
Added 2026.1.7 21:48 · Revised 2026.4.11 10:25
00500/00980_oku