海かい峡きょう

か

い

きょ

う

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

Refers to a narrow body of water connecting two larger bodies and separating two land masses. Used in geographical names and general descriptions.

あいだ

に

ある

。

The Strait of Dover lies between England and France.

その海かい峡きょうは幅はばが狭せまく、潮ちょう流りゅうが速はやい。

The strait is narrow and has a fast current.

〈場ば所しょ〉海かい峡きょうthe Strait of 〈place〉
津つ軽がる海かい峡きょうは本ほん州しゅうと北ほっ海かい道どうを隔へだてている。
The Tsugaru Strait separates Honshu and Hokkaido.
海かい峡きょうを渡わたるto cross a strait
フェリーで海かい峡きょうを渡わたった。
We crossed the strait by ferry.
海かい峡きょうに架かかる橋はしa bridge spanning a strait
海かい峡きょうに架かかる大おおきな橋はしが見みえる。
You can see the large bridge spanning the strait.

水すい道どうN4
海峡 refers specifically to a natural strait between two landmasses, while 水道 is a broader term that can also mean a man-made waterway or water supply system.
瀬せ戸と
海峡 is the standard, formal term for a strait, while 瀬戸 is a more traditional or local word often used in place names.

運うん河がN2
海峡 is a naturally occurring strait, whereas 運河 is an artificial canal dug by people.
海かい溝こう
海溝 is a deep trench on the ocean floor, whereas 海峡 is a narrow strait of water between two landmasses; learners confuse them because both start with 海 and refer to sea features.
湾わんN3
海峡 is a strait connecting two larger bodies of water, while 湾 is a coastal indentation enclosed on most sides by land, so learners often confuse the two coastal terms.

Compound of 海 (sea) and 峡 (gorge, narrow valley), literally 'sea gorge'. The kanji 峡 suggests a narrow passage, fitting the geographical meaning.