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入り海 (いりうみ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

入いり海うみ

い

り

う

み

Meanings

1

noun

bay; inlet; gulf; creek

Refers to a body of water partially enclosed by land, smaller than a sea. The term is somewhat literary or geographical.

入いり海うみの静しずかな水すい面めんに小こ舟ぶねが浮うかんでいた。
A small boat was floating on the calm surface of the inlet.

Written forms

入いり海うみUsage17%
Standard kanji spelling.
入いり海うみUsage83%
Variant kanji spelling without okurigana.

Kanji

入enter, insert
海

sea, ocean

Similar words

湾わん
湾 is the more common and general term for 'bay' or 'gulf' in modern Japanese. 入り海 is less frequent and has a slightly more literary or descriptive feel.
入いり江え
入り江 specifically refers to a small inlet or cove, often with a narrower entrance. 入り海 can refer to a larger body of water.

Etymology

Compound of 入り (iri, 'entering') + 海 (umi, 'sea'), literally 'sea that enters' or 'inlet sea'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning.