How to Say "Swimming" in Japanese

水泳

suiei[sɨie̞ː]

The Japanese word for the noun swimming is 水泳 (suiei).

水泳 refers to swimming as a formal sport, a specific discipline or a structured activity.

Meaning: human activity of moving oneself through water (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The word is composed of the kanji 水 (water) and 泳 (swim).

Use 水泳 when discussing the sport itself, and 泳ぐ when describing the physical act of moving through water.

suiei

Many Japanese public pools require swimmers to shower thoroughly before entering the water, a ritual that is treated as a strict social rule rather than a suggestion.
If you want to talk about 'swimming lessons' or 'swimming classes', you wouldn't just say 水泳 class, but would more commonly use the term スイミング (suimingu) in many modern contexts.
While 水泳 is the sport, the Japanese have a specific word 水遊び (mizuasobi) for 'playing in water', which encompasses everything from splashing to paddling.

水泳好きなの？
Are you fond of swimming?
This sentence is useful for asking about someone's fondness for 水泳.
Tatoeba #2750304 by tommy_san, translation #15965 by Swift
彼は水泳の達人だ。
He is adept in swimming.
This sentence is useful for describing someone as an expert in 水泳.
Tatoeba #103488 by bunbuku, translation #300205 by rul
水泳は健康によい。
Swimming is good for your health.
This sentence is useful for stating that 水泳 is beneficial for health.
Tatoeba #143686 by bunbuku, translation #270880 by CK
今日はプールで泳ぐよ！
I'm going swimming at the pool today!
60 more sentences on Tatoeba

Two friends are talking at a sports club.

蓮 Ren

水泳のクラスに入りたいです。
Suiei no kurasu ni hairitai desu.
I want to join a swimming class.
美咲 Misaki

蓮さんは、泳ぐのが得意ですか？
Ren-san wa, oyogu no ga tokui desu ka?
Ren, are you good at swimming?
蓮 Ren

いえ、まだ初心者です。
Iie, mada shoshinsha desu.
No, I am still a beginner.
美咲 Misaki

一緒に頑張りましょう。
Issho ni ganbarimashou.
Let's do our best together.

Sources

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