Explore 局 in words for institutions and services. Learn each reading with the whole word.

The idea

局 has 7 strokes and is read きょく in 郵便局, 薬局 and 放送局. In 薬局, the first part is やっ, with a small っ. Follow the linked stroke-order diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
郵便局ゆうびんきょくpost office
薬局やっきょくpharmacy
放送局ほうそうきょくbroadcasting station

Examples

  • 郵便局ゆうびんきょくで荷物にもつを送おくりました。I sent a parcel at the post office.
  • 駅えきの前まえに薬局やっきょくがあります。There is a pharmacy in front of the station.
  • 姉あねは放送局ほうそうきょくで働はたらいています。My sister works at a broadcasting station.
  • 市役所しやくしょの案内あんないで聞きいてください。Please ask at the city hall information desk.
  • その局きょくは新あたらしい報告書ほうこくしょを発表はっぴょうしました。The bureau published a new report.
  • 薬局やっきょくで薬くすりをもらいました。I received medicine at the pharmacy.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

局 can mean a bureau or station, but 薬局 is a pharmacy, not a generic office. Learn the meaning of the whole compound.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 郵便局 in hiragana.

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    ゆうびんきょく

    郵便局 is ゆうびんきょく: a post office, where you can send a parcel.

  2. Write the reading of 薬局 in hiragana.

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    やっきょく

    薬局 is やっきょく: a pharmacy. Remember the small っ before きょく.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 放送＿（ほうそうきょく）［局／屋］.

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    局

    局 completes 放送局, ほうそうきょく, a broadcasting station.

Use it today

Write 局 using the diagram, cover the table and read the three words. Then make a sentence about a service near you.