ローカル

ろーかる
na-adjective, noun
local
placedescriptive
1. local, regional
Relating to or characteristic of a specific locality or region rather than the whole country or the world. In Japanese, often used to describe regional TV stations, train lines, customs, or cuisine that are specific to a certain area.
ローカル線(せん)に乗(の)って旅(たび)をした。
I traveled on a rural local line.
There are dishes you can only eat at local restaurants.
This show was only broadcast on a local station, but it became a topic of conversation online.

Common collocations

  • ローカル線(せん) (local train line — a rural or regional railway, not a bullet train or express)
  • ローカル局(きょく) (local TV/radio station)
  • ローカルニュース (local news)
  • ローカルフード (local food, regional cuisine)
  • ローカルルール (local rule — an unofficial rule specific to a particular group or place)

Usage

ローカル can carry a nuance of "provincial" or "small-town," sometimes with a warm, nostalgic feeling but occasionally with a slightly dismissive tone depending on context. In computing it means local as opposed to networked or remote: ローカル環境(かんきょう) (local environment).