在日(ざいにち)

ざいにち
noun, prefix
residing in Japan; foreign resident of Japan
society
1. residing in Japan; being in Japan
The state of living or being based in Japan, especially used as a prefix for foreign nationals or organizations based in Japan.
在日(ざいにち)米軍(べいぐん)の基地(きち)。
A US military base in Japan.
在日(ざいにち)フランス大使館(たいしかん)に問(と)い合(あ)わせた。
I contacted the French Embassy in Japan.
在日(ざいにち)外国人(がいこくじん)の数(かず)は年々(ねんねん)増(ふ)えている。
The number of foreign residents in Japan is increasing year by year.
2. foreign resident of Japan
A person of foreign origin residing in Japan. Often used as a standalone noun to refer specifically to ethnic Koreans or Chinese who have lived in Japan for generations.
在日(ざいにち)コミュニティ。
A community of foreign residents in Japan.
在日(ざいにち)の友人(ゆうじん)から韓国料理(かんこくりょうり)を教(おそ)わった。
I learned Korean cooking from a friend who is a Korean resident of Japan.
在日(ざいにち)として日本(にほん)で生(う)まれ育(そだ)ち、二(ふた)つの文化(ぶんか)の間(あいだ)で揺(ゆ)れることもある。
Born and raised in Japan as a foreign resident, there are times I feel caught between two cultures.

Literally means 'being in Japan' (在(ざい) = residing, 日(にち) = Japan). Used as both a prefix and a standalone noun.

Usage

As a prefix, 在日(ざいにち) attaches to nationality or organization names to mean 'based in Japan' (e.g., 在日(ざいにち)米軍(べいぐん), 在日(ざいにち)フランス大使館(たいしかん)). As a standalone noun, it often refers specifically to ethnic Koreans (在日(ざいにち)韓国(かんこく)・朝鮮人(ちょうせんじん)) or Chinese (在日(ざいにち)中国人(ちゅうごくじん)) who have lived in Japan for generations.

Common collocations

Related words

  • 在外(ざいがい): residing abroad — the opposite pattern (e.g., 在外(ざいがい)邦人(ほうじん), Japanese nationals abroad)
  • 在米(ざいべい): residing in the US
  • 在英(ざいえい): residing in the UK
general
Added 2026.3.30 16:45 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
20500/20684_zainichi