海洋

• Pinyin: hǎi yáng
• Hanzi breakdown: 海 = 氵 (water) + 每 (every), meaning sea; 洋 = 氵 (water) + 羊 (sheep, phonetic), meaning ocean

Meaning

Ocean; sea. The vast body of salt water covering most of the Earth's surface.

More formal and encompassing than 海 alone. Common collocations: 海洋生物 (marine life), 海洋环境 (marine environment), 海洋保护 (ocean conservation), 海洋馆 (aquarium). Used in scientific and environmental contexts.

Examples

1. 海洋覆盖了地球表面百分之七十以上的面积，却有太多未知等待探索。 The ocean covers more than seventy percent of the Earth's surface, yet there's so much unknown waiting to be explored.
2. 塑料污染对海洋生态系统造成了严重威胁，很多海洋动物因此受害。 Plastic pollution poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems, and many marine animals suffer as a result.
3. 这座城市新建的海洋馆吸引了大批游客，成了网红打卡地。 The newly built aquarium in this city has attracted crowds of tourists, becoming an internet-famous check-in spot.

Usage Guide

Context: science, environment, geography

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 保护海洋人人有责。(Protecting the ocean is everyone's responsibility.)
• 海洋里有无数神秘的生物。(There are countless mysterious creatures in the ocean.)

Don't Say

• 把小湖泊说成海洋 (Don't call a small lake 海洋 — it refers to the vast ocean)

Origin & History

Compound of 海 (sea) + 洋 (ocean). Both characters relate to large bodies of water, combined for emphasis.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal