お宅

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: お宅 is read as おたく and is a polite noun for the other person’s home, household, company, or organization.
• Basic usage: Use お宅へ伺う for visiting the person’s home and お宅では when asking about the other party’s business.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Home and organization
  • A visit context points to the addressee’s home, while products and business point to the addressee’s company or organization.
• Contrast with オタク
  • The homophone オタク can mean an enthusiast deeply absorbed in a field; spelling and context distinguish it from this polite reference.