山さん下か

also: やました · さんげ

Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

Refers to the lower part of a mountain or the area at its base. The reading さんか is standard; やました is also used, especially in place names.

その村むらは山やまの山さん下かにある。
The village is at the foot of the mountain.
山さん下かまで車くるまで行いける。
You can go by car to the base of the mountain.

Usage patterns

山さん下かに〈物もの〉があるthere is something at the foot of the mountain
山さん下かに小ちいさな村むらがある。
There is a small village at the foot of the mountain.

Kanji

山mountain
下below, down, descend

Related words

山さん麓ろく
山麓 and 山下 both mean the foot of a mountain, but 山麓 is more formal and typical of geographical or literary writing.
麓ふもとN2
ふもと is the everyday kana word for the foot of a mountain, while 山下 sounds more formal or is used in place names.

Opposites

山さん頂ちょうN1
山頂 means the summit of a mountain, the opposite end from 山下, the foot of the mountain.

Written forms

山下Usage100%
- さんか
  Standard kanji spelling for the reading さんか.
- やました
  Alternate reading, often used in proper nouns (e.g., the surname Yamashita).
- さんげ
  out-dated reading
  Obsolete kana reading; not used in modern Japanese.
さんげ
out-dated reading
やました

Etymology

Compound of 山 (mountain) and 下 (below, under). The reading さんか is the standard on'yomi combination; やました is a kun'yomi variant often found in surnames and place names.