Translation guide
The English word "ridge" refers to a long, narrow raised line or area. In Japanese, the translation depends on what kind of ridge you mean: a mountain ridge, the ridge of a roof, a ridge on a surface, or a ridge in anatomy or geology.
A long, narrow chain of hills or mountains; the line along the top of a mountain range.
mountain ridge · ridge line · ridge walk
The most common word for a mountain ridge. Used in hiking, geography, and everyday conversation.
あの尾根を登りましょう。
Let's climb that ridge.
尾根伝いに歩く。
Walk along the ridge.
A more technical or literary term for a mountain ridge line, often used in mountaineering or poetic descriptions.
稜線が美しい山だ。
It's a mountain with a beautiful ridge line.
Literally 'mountain's back', a poetic or descriptive term for a ridge. Not commonly used in everyday speech.
山の背を歩く。
Walk along the mountain's back.
The horizontal line at the top of a roof where two sloping sides meet.
The standard term for the ridge of a roof. Also used for the ridge of a building in general.
屋根の棟に鳥が止まっている。
A bird is perched on the roof ridge.
棟瓦を修理する。
Repair the ridge tiles.
Specifically the main ridge of a roof, often used in architecture or traditional Japanese carpentry.
A raised line or strip on a flat surface, like the ridges on a coin, a washboard, or a textured grip.
A general term for a raised line or ridge on a surface. Used in technical contexts like geology, biology, or manufacturing.
このコインの縁には隆起線がある。
This coin has ridges on its edge.
Refers to a ridge in a field (furrow) or a wavy ridge pattern, like corrugation or ribbing. Also used for the ridges of a washboard or textured surface.
A line or stripe; can refer to a ridge-like line, such as muscle striations or grain in wood. More general than '隆起線'.
A ridge on a bone or body part, such as the brow ridge or alveolar ridge.
An elongated area of high atmospheric pressure.
Literally 'high-pressure ridge'. The standard meteorological term.
高気圧の尾根が張り出している。
A ridge of high pressure is extending.
Loanword from English, used in weather forecasts and technical discussions.
Both mean mountain ridge, but 尾根 (おね) is the everyday word, while 稜線 (りょうせん) is more technical or literary. Use 尾根 in casual hiking talk; use 稜線 in mountaineering reports or poetic descriptions.
尾根 is only for natural mountain ridges. For the ridge of a roof, use 棟 (むね). Using 尾根 for a roof ridge would sound very strange.
Attach decorative tiles to the main ridge.
Cut along the grain (ridges) of the wood.
A ridge is approaching.