Translation guide
A raised structure extending from land over water, used for docking boats, fishing, or walking. Japanese distinguishes between large port piers, recreational piers, and simple wooden docks.
A substantial structure where large vessels dock, often part of a port facility.
General term for a pier or jetty, from small wooden ones to large port structures. Most common and versatile.
The ferry docked at the pier.
Specifically a wharf or quay where ships load/unload cargo. More industrial/port-focused.
A cargo ship is moored at the pier.
Literary or nostalgic term for a pier or wharf, often in songs or old port towns.
We said our goodbyes at the pier.
A pier built for leisure, often with shops, restaurants, or fishing spots.
Also used for recreational piers. Context clarifies the type.
Tourists are looking at the sea from the pier.
Loanword from English, used for modern recreational piers or in names like 'Santa Monica Pier'.
Specifically a promenade pier. Rare, but precise.
Benches line the promenade pier.
A simple, often wooden structure extending into a lake, river, or calm sea.
Works for small piers too. Very common.
I fished from the pier on the lake.
Literally 'boat landing place'. Often a simple dock or small pier.
Floating pier or pontoon, often used for small boats or swimming.
A vertical support for a bridge or building, not a walkway.
桟橋 is the most common and versatile term for any pier-like structure. 埠頭 is specifically a cargo wharf in a port. 波止場 is a nostalgic, literary term often used in songs or poetry.
ピア is a loanword mainly used in proper names (e.g., サンタモニカピア) or modern recreational piers. Using it for a simple wooden dock sounds unnatural.
We walked to the end of the pier.
The old pier was destroyed by the storm.
Santa Monica Pier is a tourist attraction.
We tied the boat to the small pier.
I jumped into the sea from the floating pier.
Reinforce the building's piers.