洲
continent, sandbar, island, country
Readings
On'yomi
- シュウ
- ス
Kun'yomi
- しま
Meaning
洲 centers on a landmass surrounded by water: a continent, island, or sandbar. The country sense is a natural extension of a distinct territory.
Most common words using 洲
- 洲ひじ
mid-ocean sandbank
- 八洲やしま
Japan
- 八洲国やしまくに
Japan
- 八洲学園大学やしまがくえんだいがく
Yashima Gakuen University
- 出洲でず
spit (of land)
- 大八洲おおやしま
Japan
- 大八洲国おおやしまぐに
Japan
- 大日本豊秋津洲おおやまととよあきつしま
Honshū (largest of the four main islands of Japan); Honshu
- 川洲かわす
sandbank in a river
- 洲浜すはま
sandy beach; sandbar that projects into the ocean, particularly in a wavy form
- 洲走すばしり
young striped mullet
- 白洲梯子しらすばしご
stairs at the front of a noh stage, which go over the white gravel separating the audience from the stage
Study
Etymology
洲 combines 氵 (water) with 州, which originally depicted sandbars in a river. The addition of water reinforces the idea of a landmass surrounded by water.
Meaning mnemonic
Water 氵 surrounds a sandbar 州, forming a larger landmass like an island or continent.
Reading mnemonic
For シュウ, imagine a shoe-shaped continent: shoe -> シュウ, and the water surrounds it like an island.