Japanese word

海洋

Pronunciation

Romajikaiyō

Meaning

  • nounocean

Example

海洋は地球の表面の大部分を占めています。kai yō wa chi kyū no hyō men no dai bu bun o shi me te i ma su

The ocean covers most of Earth's surface.

Illustration for 海洋 (ocean)

More examples

海洋は多くの熱を吸収し、気候を安定させています。kai yō wa ō ku no netsu o kyū shū shi ki kō o an tei sa se te i ma su

The ocean absorbs a great deal of heat and helps stabilize the climate.

Core concept

Describes a vast connected body of salt water that forms a major part of Earth's surface.

Common phrases

  • 海洋環境kai yō kan kyō

    marine environment

  • 海洋資源kai yō shi gen

    marine resources

  • 海洋汚染kai yō o sen

    ocean pollution

Similar words

海umi: A large body of salt water, or the sea in general, in everyday language.
大洋taiyō: A vast ocean viewed as one of the world's major divisions of open water.

Definition in Japanese

地球上に広大に広がる塩水の水域。chi kyū jō ni kō dai ni hiro ga ru shio mizu no sui iki

Word origin

海 (kai, "sea") combines with 洋 (yō, "ocean" or "open sea") to form a Sino-Japanese term for a vast body of salt water.

Usage tips

  • In scientific and formal Japanese, 海洋 (kaiyō) commonly describes the physical ocean, while everyday speech more often uses 海 (umi) for the sea.

Other meanings

  • seanoun

Word lists with this word