Translation guide
Small, smooth stones found on beaches or riverbeds. In Japanese, the most common word is 小石 (koishi), but there are several nuanced terms depending on size, texture, and context.
Referring to pebbles as small, rounded stones, typically found on beaches or in rivers.
The most common and neutral word for 'pebble' or 'small stone'. Used in everyday conversation.
子供たちは浜辺で小石を集めていた。
The children were collecting pebbles on the beach.
庭に小石を敷き詰めた。
I covered the garden with pebbles.
A colloquial term for a small, often insignificant stone. Slightly more casual than 小石.
道に石ころが落ちていた。
There was a pebble lying on the road.
Refers to gravel or small pebbles used in construction or landscaping. Often implies a collection of small stones rather than individual pebbles.
駐車場に砂利を敷いた。
We spread gravel in the parking lot.
Describing a surface covered with pebbles, or pebbles used as a material (e.g., in a garden).
Smooth, rounded pebbles often used in Japanese gardens or decorative settings. Literally 'ball gravel'.
日本庭園には玉砂利が敷かれている。
The Japanese garden is covered with smooth pebbles.
Can also be used to describe a pebbled surface, though 玉砂利 is more specific for decorative use.
Referring to tiny pebbles or coarse sand, like on a riverbank.
Literary or poetic term for very small pebbles or pebbles that have been worn down. Famous from the Japanese national anthem '君が代' (Kimi ga Yo).
さざれ石の巌となりて
Pebbles gather to form a great rock (from the national anthem)
小石 (koishi) is the standard word for a pebble. 石ころ (ishikoro) is more casual and can imply a worthless or random small stone. 砂利 (jari) refers to gravel or a collection of small stones used for practical purposes like paving.
The English word 'pebbles' specifically refers to small, smooth stones. For larger rocks, use 石 (ishi) or 岩 (iwa). For a single pebble, 小石一つ (koishi hitotsu) is natural.
I walked along a path covered with pebbles.