1.
temporary; provisional; makeshift setup
Something set up temporarily for a limited period, with the intention of being replaced or removed later. Commonly used for temporary buildings, facilities, and infrastructure.
Used as a prefix-like modifier meaning "temporary" or "provisional." Most commonly appears before nouns describing structures or facilities that are intended to be temporary. Frequently seen in disaster relief and construction contexts.
Common collocations
- 仮設住宅: temporary housing (especially disaster relief housing)
- 仮設トイレ: portable toilet
- 仮設舞台: temporary stage
- 仮設建物: temporary building
- 仮設足場: scaffolding
Cultural note
仮設住宅 is a term deeply associated with disaster response in Japan. After major earthquakes and other disasters, prefabricated temporary housing is provided for evacuees. The word has become particularly familiar after the 1995 Kobe earthquake and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake.