団だん塊かい

だ

ん

か

い

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

mass; lump; clod; clump

A somewhat written or technical word for a compact mass or lump of material; everyday Japanese often uses 塊 instead.

畑はたけの土つちには硬かたい団だん塊かいがいくつも残のこっていた。
Several hard clods remained in the field soil.

2

noun

nodule

geology

Geological use for a rounded mineral or rock nodule, often seen in compounds such as マンガン団塊.

海かい底ていからマンガン団だん塊かいが採さい取しゅされた。
Manganese nodules were collected from the seafloor.

3

noun

baby boom generation; baby boomers born in 1947-1949

abbreviation

Abbreviated use from 団塊の世代, referring specifically to Japan's postwar baby-boom cohort born around 1947-1949; common in social, economic, and media contexts.

Written forms

団だん塊かいUsage96%
Standard kanji spelling; common especially in compounds such as 団塊の世代 and in technical terms such as マンガン団塊.
ダンカイUsage4%

Kanji

団group, association
塊clod, lump, chunk

Similar words

塊かたまり
The everyday word for a lump or mass; 団塊 is more written or technical for physical lumps and also has the special generational meaning.
団だん塊かいの世せ代だい
The full expression for Japan's 1947-1949 baby boom generation; 団塊 is used as an abbreviation or as part of compounds such as 団塊世代.
ベビーブーム世せ代だい
A broader expression for a baby-boom generation; 団塊 specifically evokes Japan's postwar cohort.

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound written with 団, associated with a group or rounded mass, and 塊, 'lump' or 'mass.' The generational sense comes from the established expression 団塊の世代.