洪水

• Reading: こうずい
• Romaji: kouzui
• Kanji breakdown: 洪 (kou) — vast, great; 水 (sui/zui) — water
• Pronunciation: /koː.zɯi/

Meaning

Flood; flooding. An overflow of water that submerges normally dry land.

Floods in Japan are often caused by heavy rains during the rainy season (梅雨) or by typhoons. Common phrases include 洪水が発生する (flooding occurs) and 洪水被害 (flood damage). Distinct from 浸水 (inundation of buildings).

Examples

1. 大雨が続いて洪水が起きました。 The heavy rain continued and a flood occurred.
2. 洪水のニュースを見て、とても心配しました。 I saw the flood on the news and was very worried.
3. この川は昔から洪水が多い場所です。 This river has always been a place with frequent floods.

Usage Guide

Context: disaster, news, geography

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Compound of 洪 (vast, great) and 水 (water). The characters describe an overwhelming volume of water.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal