Translation guide
The English word "land" covers several distinct meanings: the solid ground of the earth, a country or territory, the act of arriving on the ground (as an airplane), and more. This guide breaks down these meanings and provides natural Japanese equivalents for each.
Referring to the solid part of the earth's surface, not covered by water.
The most common word for land as opposed to sea or air. Used in phrases like 'on land' or 'land and sea'.
The ship approached land.
陸と海の両方で活動する動物
animals that are active both on land and in the sea
Refers to land as a piece of ground, soil, or a plot. Often used when talking about land ownership, real estate, or the physical ground.
この土地は農業に適している。
This land is suitable for farming.
Means 'ground' or 'surface of the earth'. Used when referring to the ground under your feet, rather than the concept of land vs. sea.
飛行機が地面に着陸した。
The airplane landed on the ground.
Referring to a nation, state, or region.
The standard word for 'country'. Use this for most cases when 'land' means a nation.
日本は美しい国です。
Japan is a beautiful land.
遠い国から来ました。
I came from a distant land.
Refers to a country's territory or national land. More formal and often used in geographical or political contexts.
Literary or poetic word for 'land' or 'earth', often evoking a sense of vastness or mother earth. Not used for political entities.
The action of coming down to the ground from the air.
The standard verb for an aircraft landing. Literally 'touch ground'.
飛行機は無事に着陸した。
The airplane landed safely.
General verb meaning 'to descend' or 'to get off'. Used for birds, insects, or people landing after a jump. Not typically used for aircraft.
鳥が枝に降りた。
The bird landed on the branch.
Specifically means 'to land on water' (e.g., a seaplane).
水上飛行機が湖に着水した。
The seaplane landed on the lake.
Figurative use: to succeed in getting something desired.
Means 'to obtain' or 'to get hold of'. A natural equivalent for 'land a job'.
彼は大手企業の仕事を手に入れた。
He landed a job at a major company.
More formal, meaning 'to acquire' or 'to secure'. Often used for contracts, rights, or awards.
会社は大きな契約を獲得した。
The company landed a big contract.
Figurative use: to arrive in a difficult or unpleasant state.
Pattern meaning 'to fall into (a bad situation)'. Used with words like 困難 (difficulty), 危機 (crisis), etc.
彼は借金地獄に陥った。
He landed in deep debt.
Pattern indicating that a situation has been decided or has resulted. Can be used for landing in trouble.
結局、彼が責任を取ることになった。
In the end, he landed with the responsibility.
The loanword ランド (rando) is only used in specific compound words like ディズニーランド (Disneyland) or グリーンランド (Greenland). It is not a general translation for 'land'.
陸 (riku) is land as opposed to sea or air. 土地 (tochi) is a piece of land, often with legal or agricultural connotations. 地面 (jimen) is the ground or surface of the earth. Choose based on context.
彼らはたくさんの土地を所有している。
They own a lot of land.
飛行機は20分後に着陸します。
The plane will land in 20 minutes.
Japan's land area is small.
Protect the land of our ancestors.