湖

• Reading: みずうみ
• Romaji: mizuumi
• Kanji breakdown: 湖 (ko/mizuumi) — lake
• Pronunciation: /mi.zɯ.ɯ.mi/

Meaning

Lake. A large body of fresh water surrounded by land.

A noun referring to lakes. Japan has many famous lakes including 琵琶湖 (Biwako, Lake Biwa), the largest lake in Japan. The reading みずうみ literally combines 水 (mizu, water) and 海 (umi, sea), meaning freshwater sea. In compound names, the kanji is read as こ (e.g., 湖畔, kohan, lakeside).

Examples

1. この湖はとても大きいです。 This lake is very large.
2. 湖の水がきれいに光っています。 The water of the lake is sparkling beautifully.
3. 湖の周りを歩きましょう。 Let's walk around the lake.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, geography, travel

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 湖 combines the water radical 氵 with 胡, representing a large, still body of water. The native Japanese reading みずうみ combines 水 (water) and 海 (sea).

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal