Japanese · Daily Life
コンビニ
konbini
Convenience store
Beginnernoun
Definition
A shortening of コンビニエンスストア. Japanese convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart are open 24 hours and offer an extraordinary range of food and services.
Example
コンビニでおにぎりを買いました。
I bought a rice ball at the convenience store.
Etymology
'コンビニ' (konbini) is a loanword derived from 'convenience store.' Its usage became prevalent in the 1980s with the rise of 24-hour shops in Japan.
How & Where It’s Used
'コンビニ' (konbini) is used informally in conversations and written forms, commonly referring to small convenience retail outlets that are ubiquitous across Japan.