Japanese word

湾

Pronunciation

Romajiwan

Meaning

  • nounbay

Example

この湾は魚が多いです。ko no wan wa sakana ga ō i de su

There are many fish in this bay.

Illustration for 湾 (bay)

More examples

この町は静かな湾の近くにあります。ko no machi wa shizu ka na wan no chika ku ni a ri ma su

This town is near a quiet bay.

Core concept

Describes a part of a sea or lake that curves into the land and is partly sheltered by it.

Common phrases

  • 湾に入るwan ni hai ru

    enter a bay

  • 湾から出るwan ka ra de ru

    leave a bay

  • 湾の奥wan no oku

    the inner part of a bay

Similar words

入り江irie: A narrow inlet of the sea that extends into the land and is often protected from strong waves.

Definition in Japanese

海や湖の一部が陸地に入り込んでできた水域。umi ya mizuumi no ichi bu ga riku chi ni hai ri ko n de de ki ta sui iki

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese noun 湾 (wan, "bay") uses the on'yomi reading wan; the character combines 氵 (sanzui, "water") with 弯 (wan, "bend"), indicating water that curves into the land.

Usage tips

  • A loading bay is a separate English sense in which bay means a marked space where vehicles load or unload.

Other meanings

  • gulfnoun
  • inletnoun

Word lists with this word