1.
villa; vacation home
A secondary residence used for holidays or retreats, typically located in the countryside, mountains, or by the sea.
軽井沢に別荘がある。
There is a vacation home in Karuizawa.
夏は家族で別荘に行く。
In summer, I go to the vacation home with my family.
祖父が山の中に別荘を建てたが、今はほとんど使っていない。
My grandfather built a villa in the mountains, but it's hardly used now.
別荘 is a secondary residence used for vacations and retreats, typically in scenic locations like mountains, coastlines, or hot spring areas.
WORD FORMATION:
別 (separate) + 荘 (villa, manor).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 別荘を建てる: to build a vacation home
- 別荘を借りる: to rent a villa
- 別荘地: resort area, vacation home district
- 別荘を持つ: to own a vacation home
CULTURAL NOTE:
Owning a 別荘 has traditionally been associated with wealth. Popular areas include 軽井沢 (Karuizawa), 箱根 (Hakone), and 那須 (Nasu). In recent years, remote work has renewed interest in countryside properties as semi-permanent residences.
CONTRAST:
別荘 is a private vacation home. For rental accommodations, 貸別荘 (rental villa) or ペンション (pension/lodge) are used.