Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

フェリー (ferii) Japanese meaning: ferry | Kotomora

フェリー

フェ

リ

ー

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

Refers to a ferry boat or ferry service, used in the same way as the English word.

明日あした、フェリーで島しまに渡わたります。

Tomorrow I'll cross to the island by ferry.

この港みなとからフェリーが出でています。

Ferries depart from this port.

Usage patterns

フェリーに乗のるto board a ferry
私わたしたちは港みなとでフェリーに乗のった。
We boarded the ferry at the port.
フェリーで〈場ば所しょ〉に渡わたるto cross to a place by ferry
フェリーで島しまに渡わたった。
We crossed to the island by ferry.
フェリーが出でるthe ferry departs
次つぎのフェリーは午ご後ご三さん時じに出でる。
The next ferry departs at 3 p.m.
フェリーを利り用ようするto use/take the ferry (as a means of transport)
旅りょ行こう者しゃの多おおくはフェリーを利り用ようして島しまに行いく。
Many tourists take the ferry to get to the island.

Related words

船ふねN5
船 is the general word for any boat or ship, while フェリー specifically means a ferry that carries passengers and vehicles on a scheduled route.
渡わたし船ぶね
渡し船 is a small traditional ferry that shuttles people across a river or narrow strait, whereas フェリー usually refers to a larger vessel used for longer sea routes and vehicles.
船ふな便びんN4
船便 in its shipping-line sense is a formal term for a ferry or steamer service, while フェリー is the everyday loanword for the same kind of boat.
カーフェリー
フェリー is the general word for any passenger ferry, while カーフェリー specifically refers to one that carries cars along with passengers.
渡わたし
フェリー is a modern loanword for a large car/passenger ferry, whereas 渡し is a traditional term for a small, simple ferry crossing.

Don't confuse with

フェアリー
フェアリー (fairy, a magical winged being) and フェリー (ferry, a boat that carries passengers and vehicles) sound almost identical but mean completely different things.
客きゃく船せん
フェリー is a short-distance ferry that often carries vehicles, while 客船 is the broader term including large ocean-going passenger liners.
遊ゆう覧らん船せんN1
フェリー is a ferry used mainly for transporting people and vehicles between fixed points, while 遊覧船 is for leisure sightseeing with no practical destination.

Counted with

隻せき
Used for ships and boats; for ferries, 隻 is the most natural among the listed options.

Word family

カーフェリー
car ferry
フェリーボート
ferryboat; ferry

Etymology

Borrowed from English 'ferry'.