家主(やぬし)

やぬし
noun
landlord, homeowner
1. landlord, property owner
A person who owns a house or apartment building and rents it out to tenants.
家主(やぬし)に家賃(やちん)を払(はら)う。
I pay rent to the landlord.
家主(やぬし)の許可(きょか)がないと改装(かいそう)できない。
You can't renovate without the landlord's permission.
家主(やぬし)さんがとても親切(しんせつ)な人(ひと)で助(たす)かった。
I was grateful that the landlord was a very kind person.
2. head of household
The person who owns and lives in a house (less common usage).
家主(やぬし)として家(いえ)を守(まも)る。
To protect the house as the head of household.
祖父(そふ)が長年(ながねん)この家(いえ)の家主(やぬし)だった。
My grandfather was the head of this household for many years.
家主(やぬし)が留守(るす)の間(あいだ)、隣(となり)の人(ひと)が家(いえ)の様子(ようす)を見(み)てくれた。
While the homeowner was away, the neighbor kept an eye on the house.

家主(やぬし) refers to the owner of a property, primarily used in the context of renting. It covers both a landlord who rents out property and (less commonly) the head of a household.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 大家(おおや): landlord (more colloquial, especially for apartment buildings; very common in daily speech)
  • 地主(じぬし): landowner (owns land, not necessarily buildings)
  • 借主(かりぬし): tenant, renter (the opposite party)
  • 貸主(かしぬし): lender, lessor (formal/legal term for the renting-out party)

REGISTER:
Neutral to slightly formal. 大家(おおや) is more commonly used in everyday conversation when referring to apartment landlords.

Related Words

Synonym: 大家(おおや) (landlord (conversational))
general
Added 2026.1.13 21:42 · Revised 2026.5.30 0:08
04000/04079_yanushi