noun
island arc; crescent-shaped archipelago
Geographical term for a chain of islands formed in an arc shape, often used in geology and geography.
日本列島は弧状列島の一つである。
The Japanese archipelago is one example of an island arc.
列島 is a general term for an archipelago or chain of islands, while 弧状列島 specifically refers to an arc-shaped chain.
Compound of 弧状 (arc-shaped) and 列島 (archipelago).