Translation guide
Describes the action of moving from water onto land, typically for people, boats, or marine animals. Japanese uses different verbs depending on what is coming ashore and the context.
To express that a person disembarks from a vessel or swims to land.
General term for landing on shore, used for people arriving by boat or ship. Can also be used for troops landing.
We came ashore from the boat.
Literally 'go up onto land'. Common in everyday speech for coming ashore from water, like after swimming or getting out of a small boat.
I swam and came ashore.
Emphasizes successfully making landfall, often used in historical or dramatic contexts.
The expedition finally came ashore on the island.
To describe a vessel or object drifting or being carried onto land by water.
Used for things that drift ashore, like wreckage, bottles, or small boats. Implies being carried by currents.
Driftwood came ashore on the beach.
Literally 'be washed up'. Common for objects cast onto the beach by waves, like shells or seaweed.
Specifically for boats running aground or being stranded on shore, often accidentally.
To describe sea creatures such as turtles or seals moving onto the beach.
上陸する is more formal and often implies a deliberate landing from a vessel, while 陸に上がる is casual and used for simply getting out of the water onto land.
disembark from a ship
come out of the sea onto land
For getting out of a bathtub or a swimming pool, 上陸する sounds unnatural. Use 上がる (あがる) instead.
The passengers came ashore at the port.
A message in a bottle came ashore.
A whale came ashore on the sandy beach.
船が浅瀬に乗り上げた。
The boat came ashore on the shallows.
Seals are coming ashore and resting on the beach.