Japanese word

ほとり

Pronunciation

Romajihotori

Meaning

  • nounbank, shore

Example

川のほとりで休みます。kawa no ho to ri de yasu mi ma su

I rest by the river.

Illustration for ほとり (bank)

More examples

湖のほとりを歩きます。mizuumi no ho to ri o aru ki ma su

I walk along the lake shore.

夕方、湖のほとりをゆっくり歩きます。yū gata mizuumi no ho to ri o yu kku ri aru ki ma su

In the evening, I walk slowly along the lakeside.

Core concept

Points to the area immediately beside something, especially the land beside water or the edge around a place.

Common phrases

  • 川のほとりkawa no ho to ri

    riverbank

Similar words

水辺mizube: The land or area next to a body of water.
岸kishi: Land along the edge of a river, lake, or sea.
そばsoba: An area located close to a particular place or thing.
辺りatari: The surrounding area near a particular place or object.

Definition in Japanese

川や湖などの水辺、または場所の周りや端に当たるところ。kawa ya mizuumi na do no mizu be ma ta wa ba sho no mawa ri ya hashi ni a ta ru to ko ro

Word origin

The native Japanese noun ほとり (hotori) is an old place word traditionally written with 辺 (hotori, "the area around"), linking the word to the idea of a surrounding area.

Usage tips

  • The phrase 川のほとり (kawa no hotori) means "by the river" and gives Japanese landscape descriptions a more literary tone than the plain expression 川のそば (kawa no soba).

Other meanings

  • edgenoun

Word lists with this word