Japanese Conversation · Level 75
75 words
Japanese word
機関
Pronunciation
Romajikikan
Meaning
- nounengine
Example
船の機関が止まりました。fune no ki kan ga to ma ri ma shi ta
The ship's engine stopped.
More examples
船長は出発前に機関を確認します。sen chō wa shup patsu mae ni ki kan o kaku nin shi ma su
The captain checks the engine before departure.
Core concept
Describes a power-producing machine that drives a vehicle or operates a larger system.
Common phrases
機関を止めるki kan o to me ru
stop the engine
機関の音ki kan no oto
the sound of the engine
機関を整備するki kan o sei bi su ru
maintain the engine
Similar words
エンジンenjin: A common term for a machine that produces power to move a vehicle or run a system.
Definition in Japanese
船や機械を動かすための動力を生み出す装置。fune ya ki kai o ugo ka su ta me no dō ryoku o u mi da su sō chi
Word origin
The Sino-Japanese word 機関 (kikan) combines 機 (ki, "machine") with 関 (kan, "connection or mechanism"), suggesting a machine's working mechanism.
Usage tips
- In transport vocabulary, 船の機関 (fune no kikan) identifies the machinery that moves a ship, whereas 車のエンジン (kuruma no enjin) is usual for a car.