住 処(すみか)

すみか

noun

dwelling; habitat; abode; home

1. dwelling; abode; home; place where one lives

A place where a person lives. Often carries a literary or slightly humble nuance compared to more neutral words like 家(いえ).

ここが私(わたし)の住処(すみか)です。

This is my home.

都会(とかい)の喧騒(けんそう)を離(はな)れ、山奥(やまおく)に住処(すみか)を構(かま)えた。

Leaving the noise of the city behind, he set up his home deep in the mountains.

長年(ながねん)住(す)み慣(な)れた住処(すみか)を離(はな)れるのはつらい。

It is hard to leave the home you have lived in for many years.

2. habitat; den; lair

The natural living place of an animal or creature.

森(もり)は多(おお)くの動物(どうぶつ)の住処(すみか)だ。

The forest is home to many animals.

熊(くま)の住処(すみか)に近(ちか)づいてはいけない。

You must not approach a bear's den.

開発(かいはつ)が進(すす)んで、野生動物(やせいどうぶつ)の住処(すみか)が失(うしな)われている。

As development advances, the habitats of wild animals are being lost.

Also written as 住み処(すみか) or 棲(す)み処(か) (especially for animal habitats). The word has a literary, slightly poetic quality compared to more everyday terms like 家(いえ) or 住居(じゅうきょ). It implies a place where one has settled and belongs.

Common collocations

住処(すみか)を構(かま)える: to set up a home; to establish one's dwelling
住処(すみか)を失(うしな)う: to lose one's home/habitat
住処(すみか)を移(うつ)す: to move one's dwelling
住処(すみか)を追(お)われる: to be driven from one's home

Similar words

家(いえ): house; home — the most common, neutral term
住居(じゅうきょ): residence; dwelling — formal, used in legal and administrative contexts
生息地(せいそくち): habitat — the scientific/ecological term for where species live
巣(す): nest; den — specifically an animal's nest or burrow

Related Words

Compare: 家(いえ) (house)

Compare: 住居(じゅうきょ) (residence)

Compare: 生息地(せいそくち) (habitat)

Compare: 巣(す) (nest)

general

Added 2026.4.25 23:17 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

25000/25478_sumika