Japanese word

海峡

Pronunciation

Romajikaikyō

Meaning

  • nounstrait

Example

私たちは海峡を船で渡ります。watashi ta chi wa kai kyō o fune de wata ri ma su

We cross the strait by ship.

Illustration for 海峡 (strait)

More examples

海峡の潮流は場所によって大きく異なります。kai kyō no chō ryū wa ba sho ni yo tte ō ki ku koto na ri ma su

The currents in the strait vary greatly from place to place.

Core concept

A strait is a narrow water passage that connects larger bodies of water.

Common phrases

  • 海峡を航行するkai kyō o kō kō su ru

    sail through a strait

Similar words

水道suidō: A water passage between land areas that connects larger bodies of water.
瀬戸seto: A narrow sea passage between two land areas, especially between islands or along a coast.

Definition in Japanese

二つの海域を結ぶ、陸地の間の幅の狭い水路。futa tsu no kai iki o musu bu riku chi no aida no haba no sema i sui ro

Word origin

海 (kai, "sea") and 峡 (kyō, "gorge" or "narrow passage") combine to form 海峡 (kaikyō), a narrow passage of water.

Usage tips

  • English learners often confuse strait with straight because they sound alike in many accents, but strait means a narrow water passage and straight means not curved.

Other meanings

  • channelnoun

Word lists with this word