山
yama[ja̠ma̠]
The English word "mountain" is translated into Japanese as 山 (yama). Wiktionary also lists 山岳 (sangaku).
Meaning: large mass of earth and rock (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 山 | yama | [ja̠ma̠] (narrow) [mɯ̟ɾe̞] (narrow) |
| 山岳 | sangaku | [sã̠ŋɡa̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
The word 山 refers to a large mass of earth and rock. It is used both for physical mountains and can metaphorically refer to a large pile or heap of something.
Which one should you use?
While 山 is the common word for a single mountain, 山岳 is a more formal or technical term often used to describe mountain ranges or the field of mountaineering.
How do you pronounce it?
yama
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, certain mountains are referred to as 'kami' or deities, changing how one speaks about them with respect.
- When attached to a name, 山 often changes its pronunciation from 'yama' to '-zan', such as in 'Fuji-san'.
- The character for 山 is a pictograph that resembles three peaks of a mountain range.
Examples in context
- あの山は高いね。That mountain is high.The first sentence shows how to describe a mountain as being high using 山.Tatoeba #12296735 by small_snow, translation #12214677 by Miktsoanit
- この山は低いです。This is a low mountain.The second sentence shows how to describe a mountain as being low using 山.Tatoeba #10901733 by small_snow, translation #13079658 by terrywallwork
- 山の上に雲が見えた。We saw clouds above the mountain.The third sentence shows how to describe seeing clouds above a mountain using 山.Tatoeba #169422 by KK_kaku_, translation #245064 by CK
- 世界で一番高い山はエベレストです。Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.
- 富士山は日本で最も有名な山です。Mount Fuji is the most famous mountain in Japan.
- 今度キャンプに行こう！山で焚き火をしましょう。Let's go camping next time! We'll have a bonfire in the mountains.
- 窓からの眺めは本当に美しくて、山並みが見えます。The view from the window is truly beautiful, I can see the mountains.
- 206 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are looking at a landscape from a cafe window.
- 健太 Kentaあの山、富士山ですよ。Ano yama, Fujisan desu yo.That mountain is Mount Fuji.
- 美咲 Misaki本当だ、すごく綺麗ですね。Hontou da, sugoku kirei desu ne.You're right, it's so beautiful.
- 健太 Kentaいつか一緒に登りたいですね。Itsuka issho ni nobortai desu ne.I'd like to climb it together someday.
- 美咲 Misakiいいですね、ぜひ行きましょう！Ii desu ne, zehi ikimashou!That sounds good, let's definitely go!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mountain” translations and entries 山, 山岳, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
