Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ビーチ | bīchi | [bʲiːt͡ɕi] (narrow) |
| 浜 | hama | [ha̠ma̠] (narrow) |
| 海岸 | kaigan | [ka̠iɡã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
Japanese uses different words for 'beach' to distinguish between a place for leisure, a geographical coastline or a poetic description of the shore. You can also use compound words like 砂浜 to specifically describe a 'sandy beach'. Additionally, there are verbal phrases such as 浜に引き上げる or 浜に乗り上げる which mean to run something aground on a beach.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 砂浜 is a compound meaning 'sandy beach', combining 砂 (sand) and 浜 (beach or shore).
Which one should you use?
ビーチ is a loanword from English and is commonly used when referring to a beach as a recreational destination or a resort area. In contrast, 海岸 refers more to the coastline or the geographical area where the sea meets the land. For more traditional, poetic or descriptive contexts, 浜 is used to refer specifically to the sandy or pebbly shore. Finally, 海浜 is a formal term with a slightly academic or scientific connotation.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
bīchi
Did you know?
- While ビーチ suggests a resort, Japanese people often use the word 海 (sea) to mean 'going to the beach' for a day of swimming.
- The word 浜 appears in the 'Kojiki', the oldest surviving record of Japanese history and mythology, written in 712 CE.
- In Japan, the custom of 'beach combing' is often linked to the tradition of searching for 漂着物 (driftwood or washed-up items) as a hobby.
Examples in context
- ビーチに行きましょう。Let's go to the beach.This is useful for suggesting a trip to the beach using ビーチ.Tatoeba #197681 by KK_kaku_, translation #34867 by CK
- 砂浜の砂はすごく熱いよ。The sand on the beach is very hot.This describes the temperature of the sand using 浜.Tatoeba #10617718 by small_snow, translation #7679321 by AlanF_US
- 海岸には大勢の人がいた。There were a lot of people on the beach.This describes the presence of people on the coast using 海岸.Tatoeba #10986418 by bunbuku, translation #1126219 by CK
- 83 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are planning a summer trip.
- 結衣 Yui今年の夏は、どのビーチに行きたい？Kotoshi no natsu wa, dono biichi ni ikitai?Which beach do you want to go to this summer?
- 健太 Kenta静かなビーチが一番いいと思うよ。Shizukana biichi ga ichiban ii to omou yo.I think a quiet beach would be best.
- 結衣 Yuiじゃあ、あそこにあるビーチはどうかな？Jaa, asoko ni aru biichi wa dou kana?Then, how about the beach over there?
- 健太 Kentaあそこのビーチはとても綺麗だね。Asoko no biichi wa totemo kirei da ne.That beach is very beautiful, isn't it?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beach” translations and entries ビーチ, 浜, 海岸, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ビーチ, 浜, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
