How do you say "in use / occupied" in Japanese?

Name: Don't Knock. The Little Window Already Answered You.
Uploaded: 2026-07-29T06:05:00Z
Duration: 53 s
Description: Learn to say 使用中 (shiyouchuu) — in use / occupied. A 30-second Japanese lesson for travelers from Kōfuku.

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Don't Knock. The Little Window Already Answered You.

To say in use / occupied in Japanese, say 使用中 (shiyouchuu).

You are standing in front of a door in Japan with no bolt to look at and no gap to peek through.

使用中 shiyouchuu in use / occupied

Survival sign-decode #learnjapanese #japantravel #survivaljapanese #japantips #kanji

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In this video

使用中です。 shiyouchuu desu. It's in use.
あ、使用中ですね。じゃあ、待ちます。 a, shiyouchuu desu ne. jaa, machimasu. Ah, it's in use. OK, I'll wait.

Kanji in this phrase

使用中: しようちゅう
空: あき
空き: あき

Why this phrase

Japanese toilet stalls show occupancy in a tiny window instead of a latch you can see. Red 「使用中」 means someone is in there. Blue or green, sometimes with the single kanji 「空」, means it is free. One glance replaces a very awkward knock.