水みず先さき案あん内ない人にん

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Meanings

1

noun

maritime pilot; harbor pilot

A professional who guides ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbors or straits.

水みず先さき案あん内ない人にんが大おお型がた船せんを港みなとへ誘ゆう導どうした。
The maritime pilot guided the large vessel into the harbor.

water

先before, ahead, previous

案plan, suggestion, draft

内inside, within, between

人person

Similar words

水みず先さき人にん
A shorter synonym for maritime pilot, but less common than 水先案内人.
パイロット
Loanword from English; can mean aircraft pilot or maritime pilot, but 水先案内人 is unambiguous for the maritime role.

Etymology

Compound of 水先 (mizusaki, 'course of a ship') + 案内人 (annainin, 'guide'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used for maritime pilots since the Edo period.