Japanese word of the day: 物価 (Bukka)

What does 物価 (Bukka) mean?

物価 (Bukka) (noun) – Cost of living; prices of goods and services; commodity prices. This word is used to talk about the general price level for everyday items-groceries, rent, transportation, and more. When people discuss whether life in a city or country is expensive or affordable, 物価 is at the heart of the conversation.

Kanji details for 物 and 価

Character: 物 — thing, object, matter
Radical: cow 牛 (牜)

Character: 価 — value, price
Radical: man, human 人 (亻)

Example sentences with 物価 (Bukka)

• この街の物価は高いです。
  (Kono machi no bukka wa takai desu.)
  🏙️ The cost of living in this city is high.

• 最近の物価上昇について行けません。
  (Saikin no bukka jōshō ni tsuite ikemasen.)
  📈 I can’t keep up with the recent rise in prices.

• 物価の安い国への旅行を計画しています。
  (Bukka no yasui kuni e no ryokō o keikaku shiteimasu.)
  ✈️ I’m planning a trip to a country with low cost of living.

物価 (Bukka) in context

物価 is a practical word you’ll hear in the news, at work, and in daily conversations-especially when talking about inflation, budgeting, or moving to a new city. It’s used to discuss the overall expense of living in a place, not just the price of a single item. For example, if you say “日本の物価は高い” (“Japan’s cost of living is high”), you’re talking about everything from groceries to rent and transportation.

You’ll also see 物価 in phrases like 物価指数 (bukka shisū, price index), 物価上昇 (bukka jōshō, price increase), and 物価安定 (bukka antei, price stability). If you’re comparing countries or cities, 物価 is the word to use.

A quick tip: 物価 is about the big picture-the average price level of daily life. For the price of a specific item, use 値段 (nedan).