Japanese word

沈没

Pronunciation

Romajichinbotsu

Meaning

  • nounsinking

Example

船の沈没が確認されました。fune no chin botsu ga kaku nin sa re ma shi ta

The ship's sinking was confirmed.

Illustration for 沈没 (sinking)

More examples

荒天のため、船の沈没を防ぐことができませんでした。kō ten no ta me fune no chin botsu o fuse gu ko to ga de ki ma se n de shi ta

Because of the stormy weather, they could not prevent the ship from sinking.

Core concept

Describes a vessel or other object going down into water until it can no longer remain afloat.

Common phrases

  • 船の沈没fune no chin botsu

    the ship's sinking

  • 沈没の原因chin botsu no gen in

    the cause of the sinking

  • 沈没地点chin botsu chi ten

    the site of the sinking

Similar words

水没suibotsu: Describes an object becoming fully covered by water, including land or buildings.
難破nanpa: Describes a vessel becoming unusable after serious damage at sea.
沈下chinka: Describes land, a structure, or another object sinking to a lower level.

Definition in Japanese

船などが水中に沈むこと。fune na do ga sui chū ni shizu mu ko to

Word origin

沈没 (chinbotsu, "sinking") is a Sino-Japanese compound of 沈 (chin, "sink") and 没 (botsu, "disappear beneath the surface").

Usage tips

  • 沈没 (chinbotsu) often occurs in official or news descriptions of maritime accidents, making it more formal in tone than the verb 沈む (shizumu).

Opposites

Related words

  • 沈没するchinbotsusurusinkverb

Word lists with this word