大陸

• Reading: たいりく
• Romaji: tairiku
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (tai/dai) — large, big; 陸 (riku) — land
• Pronunciation: /ta.i.ɾi.kɯ/

Meaning

Continent. Refers to any of the large landmasses of the world.

Used in geography to refer to the seven continents. Can also function as a no-adjective (大陸の) to describe something continental in nature, such as climate or culture. Common in news, textbooks, and travel contexts.

Examples

1. アフリカ大陸は世界で二番目に大きい。 The African continent is the second largest in the world.
2. 大陸の気候は海の近くとはかなり違う。 Continental climates differ greatly from those near the ocean.
3. 昔の人々は大陸から日本に渡ってきた。 In ancient times, people crossed over to Japan from the continent.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, education, travel

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 大 (tai, large) and 陸 (riku, land). Literally 'large land,' describing the vast continuous landmasses.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal