丸石
maruishi
The English word "boulder" is translated into Japanese as 丸石 (maruishi).
丸石 is used to refer to a large mass of stone. In more formal contexts, when describing stones that are particularly huge or impressive, the term 巨石 is used.
Meaning: large mass of stone (noun)
Which one should you use?
巨石 is used in formal language to describe large, impressive boulders.
How do you pronounce it?
maruishi
Did you know?
- If a boulder is extremely large and part of a historical site, it might be referred to as a 磐 (iwa), a term often used in Shintoism to denote stones that serve as dwellings for spirits.
- In Japanese garden design, a large boulder is not just a rock but is often treated as a living element called 景石, or 'scenic stone', which is placed to represent mountains or islands.
- The word 丸 in 丸石 means 'circle' or 'round', but it is also used in Japanese grading systems to mark a correct answer, similar to a checkmark in English.
Examples in context
- この博物館は巨石をテーマにした展示があります。This museum has an exhibition focused on boulders.
- あの川の岩、すごく大きいよね！That rock in the river is really big, right!
- 散歩中に大きな石につまづいて転んじゃった。I tripped over a big stone while taking a walk.
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are hiking in the mountains.
- 陽太 Yota見て、あそこにすごい丸石があるよ。Mite, asoko ni sugoi maruishi ga aru yo.Look, there is an amazing boulder over there.
- 結衣 Yui本当に大きいね。登れるかな？Hontou ni ookii ne. Noboreru kana?It really is big. I wonder if we can climb it.
- 陽太 Yotaこの丸石はとても滑りそうだ。Kono maruishi wa totemo suberisou da.This boulder looks very slippery.
- 結衣 Yui危ないから、無理に登らないでおこう。Abunai kara, muri ni noboranaide okou.It's dangerous, so let's not force ourselves to climb.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 丸石, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
