陸

• Reading: りく
• Romaji: riku
• Kanji breakdown: 陸 (riku) — land, shore
• Pronunciation: /ɾi.kɯ/

Meaning

Land; shore; dry ground. Refers to solid ground as opposed to sea or air.

A noun commonly appearing in compounds: 陸上 (rikujō, on land/track and field), 大陸 (tairiku, continent), 上陸 (jōriku, landing/going ashore), 陸地 (rikuchi, land/terrain). The standalone noun 陸 is less common in everyday conversation but appears in geography, military, and sports contexts.

Examples

1. 台風が明日の朝に陸に上陸する予定だ。 The typhoon is expected to make landfall tomorrow morning.
2. 陸上競技の大会に出場することになった。 I'm going to compete in a track and field meet.
3. 船から陸が見えたとき、みんな喜んだ。 When we could see land from the ship, everyone was thrilled.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, sports, weather

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 陸 combines 阝 (hill radical) and 坴 (a phonetic element suggesting 'high ground'). Represents elevated, solid terrain — land as distinct from water.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal