Usage patterns 〈 場ば 所しょ 〉 で 鉱こう 物ぶつ を 採さい 集しゅう する to collect minerals at a place
I collected some rare minerals in the mountains.
鉱こう 物ぶつ を 含ふく む to contain minerals
This water contains a lot of minerals.
鉱こう 物ぶつ の 結けっ 晶しょう a crystal of a mineral
You can see beautiful mineral crystals in that cave.
Related words 鉱物 is the broader scientific term for any naturally occurring inorganic substance, while 鉱石 refers specifically to ore from which a metal can be extracted.
鉱物 is the formal term for a naturally occurring solid mineral substance, while ミネラル is the everyday word used in nutrition and product labeling.
鉱物 is the standard geological term for a mineral, while 金石 is a broader, more classical word covering both metal and stone, often used figuratively.
Don't confuse with 鉱石 refers specifically to a mineral or rock that is economically valuable and mined for extraction (like iron ore), while 鉱物 is the broader scientific term for any naturally occurring inorganic substance with a defined composition.
岩石 (rock) is a solid mass typically made of one or more minerals mixed together, whereas 鉱物 (mineral) is a single, chemically defined substance.
鉱山 is the physical mine site where ore is dug up, while 鉱物 is the mineral substance itself extracted from the ground.
Word family· 18 Show 5 more Show fewer native element mineral; native element
mafic mineral; dark-colored mineral
felsic mineral; colorless mineral
sulfide mineral
sulfosalt mineral
See all 18 in Explore →
Etymology From Middle Chinese 礦物 (kwængH mjut), a compound of 礦 (ore, mine) and 物 (thing). The Japanese reading こうぶつ reflects the go-on pronunciation of the characters.
Report an issue with this page
Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
