noun
Only when written 瀬
A shallow place in a river or stream, often contrasted with 淵, a deep pool.
See also: 淵
川の瀬を歩いて渡った。
We walked across the shallows of the river.
noun
rapids; swift current; torrent
Refers to a part of a river where the water runs fast; common in descriptions of rivers, canoeing, and natural scenery.
カヌーは激しい瀬を下っていった。
The canoe went down the rough rapids.
noun
Only when written 瀬
Mostly used in the fixed expression 立つ瀬がない, meaning that someone has no defensible position or is left with no face or standing.
See also: 立つ瀬
みんなの前で叱られて、彼は立つ瀬がなかった。
After being scolded in front of everyone, he had no place to stand.
noun
Only when written 瀬
Limited and somewhat literary in modern Japanese, especially in compounds or set phrases such as 逢う瀬, a chance or occasion to meet.
二人は年に一度の逢う瀬を心待ちにしていた。
The two looked forward to their once-a-year chance to meet.
A deep pool or deep part of a river; often contrasts with 瀬 as a shallow or fast-flowing part.
A clearer everyday word for shallow water or shallows; 瀬 is shorter and also has rapids and idiomatic abstract uses.
Means a rapid current or fast-flowing stream more explicitly; 瀬 can refer to a particular rapid section of a river.
The normal general word for an opportunity; 瀬 in this meaning is limited to fixed or literary expressions such as 逢う瀬.
Native Japanese せ with conventional kanji spellings for water-related meanings. The character 瀬 uses the water radical, matching the river sense; the historical derivation of the word itself is uncertain. 湍 is a rare alternative character associated with rapids or swift water.