the region in question; the local area
Refers to a specific place or locality, often in contrast to other areas.
In the local area, a festival has been held since ancient times.
Used in compound words like 地肌 (bare skin) or 地黒 (naturally dark skin). Rarely used alone.
Underlying base or background, as in 地色 (background color) or 地の文 (background text).
A person's inherent character or disposition. Often used in phrases like 地が出る (one's true nature comes out).
When he drinks, his true nature comes out.
narrative; descriptive part of a story
In literature, the descriptive or narrative passages as opposed to dialogue. Often 地の文.
The narrative passages in the novel are too long.
real life; actuality
The real world as opposed to fiction or ideals. Used in expressions like 地で行く (to go in real life).
accompaniment music
In Japanese dance, the musical accompaniment.
In Japanese dance, one dances to the accompaniment music.
basic phrase
In Japanese music, a basic, often repetitive phrase.
The basic phrase of this piece is a simple repetition.
base part
In shamisen music, the base part when multiple shamisens play together.
In shamisen ensembles, the base part supports the whole.
The ground shook in the earthquake.
The ground is muddy from the rain.
The word 地肌 can refer to bare skin.
The fabric of this kimono is silk.
This paper has a white background and is easy to write on.
He is a person who seems to live out the life of a novel's protagonist.
In Noh, the chorus narrates the background of the story.
earthquake
home area; hometown; one's local area · local
hell realm; Naraka · Hell · hell; misery; nightmare; inferno · volcanic hellscape; steaming wasteland
plain; simple; subdued; sober · reserved; modest; quiet; unobtrusive · quite; a bit; surprisingly
ground; earth's surface · land; lot; plot of land
land mine · sensitive topic; trigger; taboo subject · hidden trap; pitfall; booby trap
cloth; fabric; material; texture · dough; batter · inherent quality; true character; true colours · unprocessed base material; unglazed pottery; uncoated metal · bare skin; skin with no make-up
roofed mud wall; mud wall with a tiled roof
stubbornness; obstinacy; willfulness · disposition; nature; character · appetite; desire; greed
ground; earth's crust; riverbed · foundation; base · power base; constituency; foothold
alley; alleyway; lane · path through a gate or garden · teahouse garden path
steady; honest; sober; straightforward; reliable
groundwork; foundation; preparation · aptitude; inclination; elementary knowledge · undercoat; first coat; primer · soy sauce
mean; nasty; malicious; unkind
sunken hearth; fireplace dug into the floor
landowner; landlord; landlady
plain; solid color; patternless
wigless head; natural hair · intelligence; smarts; comprehension
lord of a manor; manorial lord · estate steward; land steward
locality; local area · local stock exchange; local dealer
local sake
lining · landlocked parcel; land without road access
local beer; microbrew
Lyophyllum shimeji; hon-shimeji mushroom · shimeji mushroom (cultivated); brown beech mushroom
one's own potential; real ability; innate strength
fabric; cloth; material
ground; bare earth
estate; plot of land; land
black ground; black cloth
land acquisition; buying up plots of land · raising the ground level; land filling
Standard kanji form for all senses.
The kanji 地 originally depicts earth or ground. The reading じ is the on'yomi, used in many compounds. The word has developed numerous extended meanings in Japanese, from physical ground to abstract concepts like base or nature.