留守(るす)

留守(るす) means being away from home or absent. It describes the state of no one being home, or the act of being out.

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

• 留守番(るすばん): house-sitting, looking after the house
• 留守番(るすばん)電話(でんわ): answering machine
• 留守(るす)中(ちゅう): while away
• 留守(るす)宅(たく): unoccupied house

COMMON PATTERNS:

• 留守(るす)にする: to be away, to be out
• 留守(るす)の間(あいだ): while (someone is) away
• 留守(るす)を預(あず)かる: to look after the house in someone's absence

USAGE:
In polite speech when someone isn't home: 「田中(たなか)は留守(るす)にしております」 (Tanaka is out at the moment). Can also mean someone is inattentive or absent-minded in the set phrase 留守(るす)がちだ.

SIMILAR WORDS:

• 不在(ふざい): absence (more formal)
• 外出(がいしゅつ)中(ちゅう): currently out