Japanese word

里

Pronunciation

Romajiri

Meaning

  • nounJapanese league

Example

昔、里は距離の単位でした。mukashi ri wa kyo ri no tan i de shi ta

In the past, a Japanese league was a unit of distance.

Illustration for 里 (Japanese league)

More examples

昔の旅人は、山道を一日に五里も歩いたそうです。mukashi no tabi bito wa san dō o ichi nichi ni go ri mo aru i ta sō de su

It is said that travelers in the past walked as much as five Japanese leagues along mountain roads in a day.

Core concept

Frames travel distance as a traditional measured span rather than a fixed modern metric value.

Common phrases

  • 一里以内ichi ri i nai

    within one Japanese league

Definition in Japanese

昔の日本で用いられた距離の単位で、時代や地域により長さが異なるもの。mukashi no nihon de mochi i ra re ta kyo ri no tan i de ji dai ya chi iki ni yo ri naga sa ga koto na ru mo no

Word origin

The Japanese term 里 (ri, "traditional distance unit") is a Sino-Japanese borrowing of Chinese 里, a traditional distance measure whose length varied by period and place.

Usage tips

  • The Japanese unit 里 (ri) appears in historical travel distances, while league in modern English more often refers to a sports competition.

Word lists with this word