N2 · 40 words

Building, renovation and property

How a house is designed, built, repaired, pulled down and paid for.

These are the words of building sites, renovation quotes and property adverts. Two families are worth learning as families. 新築(しんちく), 改築(かいちく) and 増築(ぞうちく) share their last kanji, “build”, and the first one says what kind: new, remade, enlarged. 建築(けんちく) and 建設(けんせつ) both translate as construction, but the first is buildings and the profession of architecture, the second large works such as roads, dams and hospitals. Watch the verb 建(た)て替(か)える, to rebuild: written 立(た)て替(か)える, the same sound means paying for someone until they pay you back.

The words

Verb (3)

取り壊すto demolish; to pull downVerbN2

古(ふる)い映画館(えいがかん)が取(と)り壊(こわ)され、跡地(あとち)に駐車場(ちゅうしゃじょう)ができた。The old cinema was pulled down and a car park was built on the site.

建て替えるto rebuild (a building)VerbN2

古(ふる)くなった実家(じっか)を、思(おも)い切(き)って建(た)て替(か)えることにした。We made up our minds to rebuild my parents’ old house.

建ち並ぶto stand in a row; to line (a street)VerbN2

大通(おおどお)りの両側(りょうがわ)に、高(たか)いビルが建(た)ち並(なら)んでいる。Tall buildings line both sides of the main street.

This list belongs to Home and daily life — ten lists and 404 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.