島しま

縄なわ張ばりN1sense 2
縄張り is the general, neutral word for territory or turf, while 島 (as シマ) is slang used especially in criminal or underground contexts.
小こ島じま
島 is the general word for 'island' of any size, while 小島 specifically means a small island.
島とうN1
島 (しま) is the native Japanese word for 'island' used as an independent noun, while 島 (とう) is the Sino-Japanese reading used almost exclusively as a suffix attached to official island names.

Opposites

大たい陸りくN3sense 1
島 is a small landmass surrounded by water, whereas 大陸 is a vast, connected continental landmass.

Don't confuse with

縞しまN3sense 1
島 (an island) and 縞 (a stripe or striped pattern) are pronounced identically but refer to completely unrelated things.
半はん島とうN2
島 is a landmass completely surrounded by water, while 半島 (はんとう) is attached to a larger landmass on one side.

Word family· 54

中なか島じま
island in a pond or river
大おお島しま
large island · Oshima tsumugi (abbreviation)
小こ島じま
small island; islet
島しま田だ
shimada coiffure; traditional Japanese hairstyle
島しま国ぐに
island country; island nation

Show 17 more

島しま々じま
islands; many islands
宝たから島じま
treasure island
島しま流ながし
exile to an island; banishment
浮うき島しま
floating island of aquatic plants · mirage island; island appearing to float
島しま中じゅう
all over the island; throughout the island; on the island
島しま木ぎ
bottom part of the upper cross-beam of a torii
猫ねこ島じま
cat island; island with a large domestic cat population
種子島たねがしま
matchlock; arquebus
島しま台だい
ornament representing the Isle of Eternal Youth
島しま唄うた
traditional Okinawan folk music; island songs
島しま山やま
island mountain
島しま影かげ
silhouette of an island; faint outline of an island
シマフクロウ
Blakiston's fish owl
島しま豚ぶた
Okinawan pig breed
島しま陰かげ
lee of an island; area hidden by an island
島しま風かぜ
island wind; wind blowing on an island
八や十そ島しま
many islands

See all 54 in Explore →

Written forms

島しまUsage96%
Standard kanji spelling for 'island' and related geographical uses.
嶋しまUsage3%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji variant; mostly found in proper names.
シマUsage1%
search-only kana form
Katakana spelling is usual for the slang sense 'territory/turf'.

Etymology

Native Japanese word. The kanji 島 is a pictograph of a bird on a mountain, later used for 'island'. The slang sense likely derives from the idea of an isolated, controlled area.