Nature / Weather Word Dictionary

太陽—sun

たいよう

The bright star that gives Earth light and heat.

月—moon

つき

The round natural object seen in the night sky around Earth.

星—star

ほし

A distant point of light seen in the night sky.

空—sky

そら

The open space seen above the ground.

雲—cloud

くも

A visible mass of tiny water drops or ice in the sky.

雨—rain

あめ

Water drops that fall from clouds.

雪—snow

ゆき

Soft white ice crystals that fall from clouds.

風—wind

かぜ

Air moving across the ground or through the sky.

山—mountain

やま

A very high natural area of land with steep sides.

川—river

かわ

A large natural stream of water flowing across land.

海—sea

うみ

A vast area of salt water covering much of Earth.

湖—lake

みずうみ

A large area of water surrounded by land.

森—forest

もり

A large area where many trees grow close together.

木—tree

き

A tall plant with a hard trunk and branches.

花—flower

はな

The colorful part of a plant that often produces seeds.

草—grass

くさ

A common short green plant with narrow leaves.

土—soil

つち

The loose upper layer of ground where plants grow.

石—stone

いし

A small hard solid piece naturally found on the ground.

砂—sand

すな

Very small loose grains of rock found on beaches and ground.

島—island

しま

An area of land completely surrounded by water.

丘—hill

おか

A raised area of land lower and gentler than a mountain.

春—spring

はる

The season after winter when weather warms and plants begin growing.

夏—summer

なつ

The warmest season of the year.

秋—autumn

あき

The season after summer when weather cools and many leaves change color.

冬—winter

ふゆ

The coldest season of the year.

暖かい—warm

あたたかい

Having a pleasantly mild temperature.

暑い—hot

あつい

Having a high air temperature.

寒い—cold

さむい

Having a low air temperature.

涼しい—cool

すずしい

Slightly cold in a pleasant way.

穏やかだ—calm

おだやかだ

Having little wind, movement, or disturbance.

荒い—rough

あらい

Moving strongly and unevenly, as with wind or waves.

明るい—bright

あかるい

Filled with or giving plenty of light.

暗い—dark

くらい

Having little or no light.

深い—deep

ふかい

Extending a long way downward or inward.

浅い—shallow

あさい

Not extending far downward from the surface.

高い—high

たかい

Extending far upward from the ground or surrounding area.

低い—low

ひくい

Not extending far above the ground or surrounding area.

広い—wide

ひろい

Covering a large distance from side to side.

狭い—narrow

せまい

Having only a small distance from side to side.

急だ—steep

きゅうだ

Rising or falling at a sharp angle.

平らだ—flat

たいらだ

Having a level surface without noticeable rises or dips.

湿っぽい—damp

しめっぽい

Containing or covered with noticeable moisture.

美しい—beautiful

うつくしい

Giving pleasure through natural shape, color, or scenery.

静かだ—quiet

しずかだ

Having very little sound or movement.

爽やかだ—refreshing

さわやかだ

Feeling clean, cool, and pleasant, especially in the air.

清らかだ—clean

きよらかだ

Free from dirt or harmful material.

汚い—dirty

きたない

Covered or mixed with dirt or waste.

危険だ—dangerous

きけんだ

Likely to cause harm or injury.

強い—strong

つよい

Having great force, as with wind, rain, or a current.

弱い—weak

よわい

Having little force, as with wind, rain, or a current.

輝く—shine

かがやく

To give off or reflect bright light.

吹く—blow

ふく

To move as wind through the air.

凍る—freeze

こおる

To become solid because of low temperature.

溶ける—melt

とける

To change from a solid into a liquid because of heat.

流れる—flow

ながれる

To move continuously in one direction like water.

落ちる—fall

おちる

To move downward through the air toward the ground.

育つ—grow

そだつ

To become larger or more developed over time.

咲く—bloom

さく

To open into a flower.

枯れる—wither

かれる

To become dry, weak, and no longer fresh as a plant.

芽吹く—sprout

めぶく

To begin producing a new shoot or leaf.

変わる—change

かわる

To become different from a previous state.

乾く—dry out

かわく

To lose moisture and become less wet.

濡れる—get wet

ぬれる

To become covered or filled with water or another liquid.

蒸発する—evaporate

じょうはつする

To change from a liquid into a gas and enter the air.

沈む—sink

しずむ

To move downward below the surface of water or soft ground.

揺れる—sway

ゆれる

To move gently from side to side.

広がる—spread

ひろがる

To move or extend over a wider area.

集まる—gather

あつまる

To come together in one place.

消える—disappear

きえる

To stop being visible or present.

現れる—appear

あらわれる

To become visible or present.

暖まる—warm up

あたたまる

To become warmer than before.

暗くなる—darken

くらくなる

To become less bright.

明るくなる—brighten

あかるくなる

To become lighter or brighter.

溢れる—overflow

あふれる

To flow over the edge because there is too much liquid.

割れる—crack

われる

To split and form a narrow opening.

枝—branch

えだ

A woody part that grows out from the trunk of a tree.

幹—tree trunk

みき

The thick main stem that supports a tree.

樹皮—tree bark

じゅひ

The tough outer covering of a tree trunk and branches.

根—root

ね

The part of a plant that usually grows underground and absorbs water.

葉—leaf

は

A flat green part of a plant that receives sunlight.

種—seed

たね

A small plant part from which a new plant can grow.

蕾—flower bud

つぼみ

A young unopened flower.

実—fruit

み

The part of a plant that develops from a flower and contains seeds.

棘—thorn

とげ

A hard sharp point growing from some plants.

花びら—petal

はなびら

One of the soft colored parts around the center of a flower.

苔—moss

こけ

A small soft green plant that grows in damp places.

竹—bamboo

たけ

A tall plant with hollow jointed stems.

松—pine

まつ

An evergreen tree with needle-shaped leaves and cones.

柳—willow

やなぎ

A tree with long narrow leaves and flexible hanging branches.

楓—maple

かえで

A tree whose leaves often turn bright colors in autumn.

桜—cherry tree

さくら

A tree known for producing pale blossoms in spring.

雑草—weed

ざっそう

A wild plant growing where people do not want it.

作物—crop

さくもつ

A plant grown by people for food or another useful purpose.

植物—plant

しょくぶつ

A living thing that usually grows in soil and uses sunlight.

自然—nature

しぜん

The land, water, air, plants, and animals not made by people.

動物—animal

どうぶつ

A living thing that can usually move and feeds on plants or other animals.

昆虫—insect

こんちゅう

A small animal with six legs and a body divided into three main parts.

鳥—bird

とり

An animal with feathers, wings, and a beak.

生息地—habitat

せいそくち

The natural place where a plant or animal lives.

巣—nest

す

A structure made or used by an animal for eggs or young.

天気—weather

てんき

The condition of the air and sky at a particular time and place.

日光—sunlight

にっこう

Light that reaches Earth from the sun.

影—shadow

かげ

A dark shape formed when light is blocked.

虹—rainbow

にじ

A curved band of colors that can appear in the sky after rain.

霧—fog

きり

A thick layer of tiny water drops near the ground that makes seeing difficult.

露—dew

つゆ

Small drops of water that form on cool surfaces outdoors.

霜—frost

しも

A thin white layer of ice crystals that forms on cold surfaces.

氷—ice

こおり

Water that has frozen into a solid form.

嵐—storm

あらし

Severe weather with strong wind and often rain or snow.

雷—thunder

かみなり

The loud sound heard after lightning.

稲妻—lightning

いなずま

A sudden bright flash of electricity in the sky.

小雨—drizzle

こさめ

Very light rain made of fine drops.

俄雨—rain shower

にわかあめ

Rain that begins suddenly and usually ends soon.

雹—hail

ひょう

Small balls or lumps of ice that fall from storm clouds.

台風—typhoon

たいふう

A powerful tropical storm with very strong circular winds.

竜巻—tornado

たつまき

A violently rotating column of air extending from a storm cloud.

干ばつ—drought

かんばつ

A long period with too little rain and not enough water.

洪水—flood

こうずい

A large amount of water covering land that is normally dry.

晴天—clear sky

せいてん

A sky with little or no cloud and good visibility.

曇り空—cloudy sky

くもりぞら

A sky covered mostly or completely by clouds.

湿度—humidity

しつど

The amount of water vapor in the air.

気温—air temperature

きおん

The degree of warmth or coldness of the outdoor air.

暑さ—hot weather

あつさ

Weather with an uncomfortably high temperature.

寒さ—cold weather

さむさ

Weather with an uncomfortably low temperature.

天気予報—weather forecast

てんきよほう

A statement about weather expected in the future.

野原—field

のはら

A wide open area of land with grass or low plants.

谷—valley

たに

Low land between hills or mountains.

崖—cliff

がけ

A high steep face of rock or earth.

洞窟—cave

どうくつ

A large natural hollow space inside rock or a hillside.

滝—waterfall

たき

Water dropping from a high place in a river or stream.

泉—natural spring

いずみ

A place where water naturally flows out of the ground.

池—pond

いけ

A small area of still water surrounded by land.

沼—swamp

ぬま

Wet soft land covered partly by shallow water.

小川—stream

おがわ

A small narrow flow of water across land.

海岸—coast

かいがん

The land along the edge of the sea.

浜辺—beach

はまべ

A sandy or stony area beside the sea or a lake.

波—wave

なみ

A raised moving line of water on the surface of the sea or a lake.

潮—tide

しお

The regular rise and fall of sea level.

砂漠—desert

さばく

A very dry area with little rain and few plants.

平原—plain

へいげん

A large area of mostly flat land.

高原—plateau

こうげん

A broad flat area of land at a high elevation.

火山—volcano

かざん

A mountain with an opening through which hot rock and gas can escape.

峡谷—canyon

きょうこく

A deep narrow valley with steep sides.

氷河—glacier

ひょうが

A huge mass of ice that moves slowly over land.

大陸—continent

たいりく

One of Earth's very large continuous areas of land.

地球—Earth

ちきゅう

The planet where people, animals, and plants live.

陸地—land

りくち

The solid dry surface of Earth rather than the sea.

地平線—horizon

ちへいせん

The distant line where the land or sea appears to meet the sky.

湾—bay

わん

A curved part of a sea or lake partly surrounded by land.

岬—cape

みさき

A pointed piece of land extending into the sea.

日の出—sunrise

ひので

The time when the sun first appears above the horizon in the morning.

日の入り—sunset

ひのいり

The time when the sun disappears below the horizon in the evening.

明け方—dawn

あけがた

The early time when darkness begins to change into daylight.

夕暮れ—dusk

ゆうぐれ

The evening time when daylight is fading into darkness.

月光—moonlight

げっこう

Light from the moon seen at night.

星明かり—starlight

ほしあかり

Faint light coming from stars at night.

満月—full moon

まんげつ

The moon when its visible face appears completely round.

三日月—crescent moon

みかづき

The moon when only a thin curved part is lit.

星座—constellation

せいざ

A recognized shape or group formed by stars in the sky.

流れ星—shooting star

ながれぼし

A bright streak seen when a small space rock burns in the sky.

日食—solar eclipse

にっしょく

An event in which the moon blocks some or all of the sun from view.

月食—lunar eclipse

げっしょく

An event in which Earth's shadow darkens the moon.

雨季—rainy season

うき

A season when a region receives most of its yearly rain.

猛暑—extreme heat

もうしょ

A period of dangerously hot weather.

寒波—cold wave

かんぱ

A period when very cold air moves into an area.

初雪—first snow

はつゆき

The first snow to fall in a season or year.

豪雨—downpour

ごうう

Very heavy rain falling in a short time or over an area.

大雪—heavy snow

おおゆき

A large amount of snow falling strongly or accumulating deeply.

微風—breeze

そよかぜ

A light and gentle wind.

突風—gust

とっぷう

A sudden short burst of strong wind.

雪の結晶—snowflake

ゆきのけっしょう

A single soft crystal or cluster of crystals falling as snow.

雨粒—raindrop

あまつぶ

A single drop of rain.

氷柱—icicle

つらら

A pointed hanging piece of ice formed by freezing dripping water.

水溜まり—puddle

みずたまり

A small shallow pool of water collected on the ground.

泥—mud

どろ

Soft wet earth formed when soil mixes with water.

宇宙—outer space

うちゅう

The vast area beyond Earth's air where stars and planets exist.

惑星—planet

わくせい

A large round object that travels around a star.

銀河—galaxy

ぎんが

A huge group of stars, gas, and dust held together in space.

彗星—comet

すいせい

A small icy object that can form a bright tail near the sun.

小惑星—asteroid

しょうわくせい

A small rocky object that travels around the sun.

軌道—orbit

きどう

The curved path followed by an object moving around another object in space.

人工衛星—artificial satellite

じんこうえいせい

A human-made object that travels around Earth or another body in space.

大気—atmosphere

たいき

The layer of gases surrounding Earth or another planet.

空気—air

くうき

The mixture of gases surrounding us that living things use to breathe.

重力—gravity

じゅうりょく

The natural force that pulls objects toward Earth or another body.

岩—rock

いわ

A large hard natural mass of stone.

砂利—gravel

じゃり

Small loose pieces of stone covering the ground.

粘土—clay

ねんど

Soft earth that becomes sticky when wet and hard when baked.

鉱物—mineral

こうぶつ

A natural solid substance found in rocks and the ground.

結晶—crystal

けっしょう

A solid with particles arranged in a regular shape.

化石—fossil

かせき

The preserved remains or mark of a living thing from long ago.

貝殻—seashell

かいがら

The hard outer covering of a shellfish.

珊瑚—coral

さんご

A hard branching structure made by tiny sea animals.

珊瑚礁—coral reef

さんごしょう

A large underwater formation built mainly from coral.

海流—ocean current

かいりゅう

A steady flow of seawater moving through the ocean.

地下水—groundwater

ちかすい

Water stored or flowing beneath the ground.

淡水—freshwater

たんすい

Water with very little salt, such as water in rivers and lakes.

海水—seawater

かいすい

The salty water found in seas and oceans.

水蒸気—water vapor

すいじょうき

Water in the form of an invisible gas in the air.

雨水—rainwater

あまみず

Water that falls as rain and collects on the ground or in containers.

哺乳類—mammal

ほにゅうるい

An animal that feeds its young with milk and usually has hair or fur.

爬虫類—reptile

はちゅうるい

A cold-blooded animal with dry scaly skin, such as a snake or lizard.

両生類—amphibian

りょうせいるい

An animal that usually lives both in water and on land during its life.

魚類—fish

ぎょるい

Animals that live in water and breathe mainly through gills.

草食動物—herbivore

そうしょくどうぶつ

An animal that eats mainly plants.

肉食動物—carnivore

にくしょくどうぶつ

An animal that eats mainly other animals.

雑食動物—omnivore

ざっしょくどうぶつ

An animal that eats both plants and other animals.

捕食者—predator

ほしょくしゃ

An animal that hunts and eats other animals.

獲物—prey

えもの

An animal hunted and eaten by another animal.

動物の移動—animal migration

どうぶつのいどう

The regular movement of animals from one region to another.

冬眠—hibernation

とうみん

A long sleep-like state that helps some animals survive winter.

食物連鎖—food chain

しょくもつれんさ

A natural order showing which living things eat others.

生態系—ecosystem

せいたいけい

Living things and their surroundings interacting in one area.

絶滅危惧種—endangered species

ぜつめつきぐしゅ

A kind of living thing at risk of disappearing completely.

絶滅—extinction

ぜつめつ

The complete disappearance of a kind of living thing.

適応—adaptation

てきおう

A change or ability that helps a living thing survive in its surroundings.

足跡—footprint

あしあと

A mark left on the ground by a foot or paw.

羽毛—feather

うもう

One of the light coverings that grow on a bird's body.

翼—wing

つばさ

A body part used by birds and some other animals for flying.

嘴—beak

くちばし

The hard pointed mouth of a bird.

爪—claw

つめ

A sharp curved nail on the foot of an animal or bird.

角—horn

つの

A hard pointed growth on the head of some animals.

尾—tail

お

The part extending from the rear of an animal's body.

毛皮—fur

けがわ

The thick soft hair covering the body of some animals.

鱗—scale

うろこ

One of the small hard plates covering fish and some other animals.

自然災害—natural disaster

しぜんさいがい

A harmful event caused by natural forces.

地震—earthquake

じしん

A sudden shaking of the ground.

津波—tsunami

つなみ

A series of very large sea waves caused by movement under the ocean.

噴火—eruption

ふんか

The release of hot rock, ash, and gas from a volcano.

溶岩—lava

ようがん

Very hot melted rock that flows from a volcano.

灰—ash

はい

Fine gray powder left after something burns.

山火事—wildfire

やまかじ

A large uncontrolled fire burning through natural land.

地滑り—landslide

じすべり

A large amount of earth and rock suddenly moving down a slope.

雪崩—avalanche

なだれ

A large mass of snow rushing down a mountain slope.

落石—rockfall

らくせき

Rock that falls from a cliff or steep slope.

崩壊—collapse

ほうかい

The sudden breaking and falling down of land or a structure.

警報—alert

けいほう

An official notice that a dangerous event may happen or is happening.

避難—evacuation

ひなん

Moving away from a dangerous place to safety.

避難所—shelter

ひなんじょ

A safe place where people stay during danger or disaster.

救助—rescue

きゅうじょ

The act of saving someone from danger.

生存—survival

せいぞん

The state of continuing to live despite danger or difficulty.

被害—damage

ひがい

Harm caused to people, nature, or property.

環境—environment

かんきょう

The natural and human surroundings in which living things exist.

汚染—pollution

おせん

Harmful or dirty material added to air, water, or land.

ごみ—garbage

Unwanted material that people throw away.

下水—wastewater

げすい

Dirty water carried away from homes and buildings.

環境保護—environmental protection

かんきょうほご

The act of protecting the environment from harm.

気候—climate

きこう

The usual weather pattern of a place over many years.

気候変動—climate change

きこうへんどう

A long-term change in usual weather patterns.

地球温暖化—global warming

ちきゅうおんだんか

The long-term rise in Earth's average temperature.