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.

Expressions

団だん塊かいの世せ代だいbaby boom generation (Japan, 1947–1949)

Kanji

団group, association
塊clod, lump, chunk

Related words

塊かたまりN2sense 1
塊 is the common everyday word for a lump or mass, while 団塊 is a more written or technical term used for physical lumps and also for the postwar baby-boom generation.

Word family

団だん塊かい世せ代だい
baby boom generation; baby boomers
マンガン団だん塊かい
manganese nodule
団だん塊かいジュニア
second-generation baby boomer (born 1971–1974)

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%

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.