Meaning and Usage
"地主" (じぬし) refers to a landlord or landowner, someone who owns land and often rents it out to others. It is a formal term commonly used in contexts related to agriculture, real estate, or historical discussions about land ownership.
Common Contexts
This word is often used when talking about rural landowners or historical landholding systems. In modern urban contexts, "地主" might sound a bit old-fashioned or formal, but it is still understood.
Collocations and Patterns
- 地主から土地を借りる: to rent land from the landlord
- 地主に地代を払う: to pay rent to the landlord
- 地主の権利: landlord's rights
These collocations highlight typical interactions involving landlords and tenants.
Register and Nuance
"地主" is a neutral to formal term. It is not casual slang and is appropriate in written and spoken Japanese when discussing land ownership. Avoid confusing it with "大家" (おおや), which usually refers to a landlord of a building or apartment.
Common Learner Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse "地主" with "大家". Remember, "地主" specifically means landowner, often of agricultural or undeveloped land, while "大家" is more about landlords of houses or apartments.