Japanese kanji 床: floor, bed and hospital beds

The idea

床 has 7 strokes. In 床（ゆか） it means a floor; 床に就く（とこにつく） means to go to bed. In 病床（びょうしょう）, it is read しょう and refers to a sickbed or hospital bed.

Examples

• 床ゆかが冷つめたいです。The floor is cold.
• 床ゆかに鞄かばんを置おきました。I put the bag on the floor.
• 木きの床ゆかを拭ふいてください。Please wipe the wooden floor.
• 昨夜ゆうべは早はやく床とこに就つきました。I went to bed early last night.
• 祖父そふは病床びょうしょうにいます。My grandfather is in a hospital bed.
• 利用りようできる病床びょうしょうが少すくないです。There are few hospital beds available.

Watch out

床 alone in a room is usually ゆか, not とこ. 床に就く is a fixed expression; a Western-style bed is normally ベッド.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 床 in 床が冷たい in hiragana.

   Show answer or example answer

   ゆか

   床 is ゆか in 床が冷たい: the floor is cold.

2. Write the reading of 床 in 床に就く in hiragana.

   Show answer or example answer

   とこ

   床 is とこ in 床に就く, an expression meaning to go to bed.

3. Choose the missing kanji: 病＿（びょうしょう）［床／店］.

   Show answer or example answer

   床

   床 completes 病床（びょうしょう）, a sickbed or hospital bed.

Use it today

Write 床 following the linked stroke diagram. Cover the readings, say 床 and 病床 aloud, then make a sentence about a room.