Quote:
Originally Posted by KyleGoetz
New question regarding vocabulary: How are 薬屋 and 薬局 different? Is it just that 薬屋 is a native Japanese word while 薬局 is a word imported from China (and thus 薬局 is a more literary/academic/professional word)?
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With these particular two words, our usual 大和言葉 vs. 漢語 issue is still valid but there is a more important difference.
薬局 only has one meaning: a drug store.
薬屋 has a few:
a drug store 「次の角に薬屋があります。」
its owner 「山田さんは薬屋（さん）です。」
his/her family 「スミスんち、薬屋（さん）だよ。」