1.
clinic, medical office, doctor's office
A small medical facility with fewer than 20 beds (or no inpatient beds at all), as defined by Japanese medical law. Smaller than a hospital, typically run by a single doctor or small group of doctors for outpatient care.
近くの診療所で診てもらった。
I was seen at a nearby clinic.
この島には病院はなく、小さな診療所が一つあるだけだ。
There is no hospital on this island — just one small clinic.
地域の診療所が閉鎖され、住民は遠くの病院に通わなければならなくなった。
The local clinic was closed, and residents had to travel to a distant hospital.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 歯科診療所: dental clinic
- 地域の診療所: local/community clinic
- 無床診療所: clinic without inpatient beds
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 病院: hospital (20+ beds, by legal definition in Japan)
- クリニック: clinic (loanword, commonly used in clinic names)
- 医院: medical practice, doctor's office (commonly used in clinic names)
USAGE:
In Japanese medical law, 診療所 is legally distinct from 病院: a 診療所 has fewer than 20 beds, while a 病院 has 20 or more. In everyday language, people often say 病院 for any medical facility, but 診療所 specifically refers to smaller clinics.