ボイラー

ぼいらー
noun
boiler
1. boiler (for heating water or generating steam)
A closed vessel that heats water or produces steam, used for building heating, hot water supply, baths, or industrial power. Commonly found in apartment buildings, factories, public baths, and hotels.
ボイラーが故障(こしょう)した。
The boiler broke down.
(ふゆ)はボイラーで部屋全体(へやぜんたい)(あたた)める。
In winter, we heat the whole room with a boiler.
この工場(こうじょう)大型(おおがた)ボイラーは毎時(まいじ)大量(たいりょう)蒸気(じょうき)発生(はっせい)させている。
The large boiler in this factory generates a huge amount of steam every hour.

Used for both household and industrial boilers in Japanese. In many Japanese apartments, the ボイラー (often a gas water heater) is a critical appliance for hot water and bath heating; winter breakdowns are a significant problem.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • ボイラーが(うご)く: for the boiler to run/operate
  • ボイラーをつける: to turn on the boiler
  • ボイラーが(こわ)れる: for the boiler to break
  • 大型(おおがた)ボイラー: large-scale boiler
  • 給湯(きゅうとう)ボイラー: hot-water supply boiler
  • ボイラー(しつ): boiler room

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 給湯器(きゅうとうき): water heater — the more specific term for home hot-water units; overlaps with home-use ボイラー
  • 湯沸(ゆわか)(): water heater/kettle — a smaller-scale hot water device
  • エアコン: air conditioner (heating/cooling) — a different type of heating system, electric rather than water-based

CULTURAL NOTE:
In cold regions like Hokkaido and Tohoku, many homes rely on 灯油(とうゆ) (kerosene) ボイラー for both heating and hot water. In urban apartments, gas-powered 給湯器(きゅうとうき) are more common.