自然・環境

大気たいきの汚染おせんが深刻しんこくな問題もんだいになっている。

Air pollution has become a serious problem.

Usage 大気 is the atmosphere around the Earth, used in science and news: 大気汚染 (air pollution), 大気圏 (the atmosphere), 大気中 (in the air). 空気 (くうき) is the air you breathe.

Remember it 大 (big) + 気 (air) → the big body of air around the planet.

川かわが工場こうじょうの廃水はいすいで汚染おせんされた。

The river was polluted by wastewater from a factory.

Usage 汚染する = to pollute or contaminate. It pairs with what gets polluted: 大気汚染 (air), 水質汚染 (water), 土壌汚染 (soil). The everyday adjective is 汚い (きたない, dirty).

Remember it 汚 (dirty) + 染 (to stain, dye) → staining something dirty.

工場こうじょうの騒音そうおんが公害こうがいとして訴うったえられた。

The factory's noise was denounced as a form of pollution.

Usage 公害 is pollution harming the public: noise, vibration, smells and subsidence as well as dirty air and water. 公害病 are the pollution diseases of 1960s Japan, a common reading topic. 汚染 is contamination in general.

Remember it 公 (public) + 害 (harm) → harm done to the public.

産業さんぎょう廃棄物はいきぶつの不法ふほう投棄とうきが問題もんだいだ。

The illegal dumping of industrial waste is a problem.

Usage 廃棄物 is waste as an official or legal term: 産業廃棄物 (industrial waste), 医療廃棄物 (medical waste). In daily life, just ごみ.

Remember it 廃 (to abolish, discard) + 棄 (to throw away) + 物 (thing) → things thrown away.

省エネしょうエネのため、電気でんきをこまめに消けすようにしている。

To save energy, I make a point of switching off the lights often.

Usage 省エネ is short for 省エネルギー, a kanji word fused with a clipped loanword. It works like an adjective: 省エネ家電 (energy-efficient appliances), 省エネ対策.

Remember it 省 (to save, cut out) + エネ (from エネルギー) → saving energy.

地球ちきゅう温暖化おんだんかにより、海面かいめんが上昇じょうしょうしている。

Because of global warming, sea levels are rising.

Usage 温暖化 almost always appears as 地球温暖化 (global warming). The suffix 化 turns a noun into a process: 高齢化 (aging), 国際化 (internationalization), デジタル化.

Remember it 温暖 (mild, warm) + 化 (becoming) → the world becoming warm.

この地域ちいきは温暖おんだんな気候きこうで、農業のうぎょうに向むいている。

This region has a mild climate that is well suited to farming.

Usage 気候 is a region's long-term climate; 天気 (てんき) and 天候 are the weather at a given time. 気候変動 (きこうへんどう) = climate change.

Remember it 気 (air) + 候 (season, condition) → the seasonal condition of the air.

豪雨ごううの影響えいきょうで、川かわが氾濫はんらんした。

Because of the torrential rain, the river overflowed.

Usage 豪雨 is torrential rain, heavier than 大雨 (おおあめ), heard in weather warnings: 集中豪雨 (a localized downpour), 豪雨災害.

Remember it 豪 (overwhelming, mighty) + 雨 (rain) → mighty rain.

大雨おおあめが続つづき、町まちが洪水こうずいに見舞みまわれた。

The heavy rain went on, and the town was hit by a flood.

Usage 洪水 is a large-scale flood: 洪水が起きる. 浸水 (しんすい) is local flooding, as when water gets into houses. Figuratively, 情報の洪水 is a flood of information.

Remember it 洪 (vast, flood) + 水 (water) → a vast amount of water.

地震じしんの後あと、巨大きょだいな津波つなみが海岸かいがんを襲おそった。

After the earthquake, a huge tsunami struck the coast.

Usage English borrowed 'tsunami' from Japanese. In warnings you'll hear 津波警報 (tsunami warning) and 津波注意報 (a lesser advisory).

Remember it 津 (harbor) + 波 (wave) → the wave that strikes the harbor.

富士山ふじさんは活火山かつかざんとして知しられている。

Mount Fuji is known as an active volcano.

Usage Japan has over a hundred active volcanoes: 活火山 (active), 休火山 (dormant), 死火山 (extinct). 噴火する = to erupt. 山 reads ざん here, a sound change called rendaku.

Remember it 火 (fire) + 山 (mountain) → the fire mountain.

火山かざんが突然とつぜん噴火ふんかし、周辺しゅうへんの住民じゅうみんが避難ひなんした。

The volcano suddenly erupted, and nearby residents evacuated.

Usage 噴火する = to erupt: 噴火警戒レベル (the volcanic alert level). Related words: 溶岩 (ようがん, lava), 噴煙 (ふんえん, volcanic smoke).

Remember it 噴 (to spout, gush) + 火 (fire) → fire gushing out.

森林しんりん破壊はかいが生物多様性せいぶつたようせいを脅おびやかしている。

Deforestation is threatening biodiversity.

Usage 森林 is forest as a resource or environmental term: 森林破壊 (deforestation), 森林保全 (forest conservation), 森林浴 (forest bathing). 森 (もり) is the forest you walk in.

Remember it 森 (three trees) + 林 (two trees) → five trees' worth of forest.

ボランティアが山やまに植林しょくりんを行おこなった。

Volunteers planted trees on the mountain.

Usage 植林 is planting trees to create or restore a forest: 植林する, 植林活動. Its opposite is 伐採 (ばっさい, logging).

Remember it 植 (to plant) + 林 (woods) → planting woods.

この鳥とりは絶滅ぜつめつの危機ききに瀕ひんしている。

This bird is on the verge of extinction.

Usage 絶滅する = to go extinct: 絶滅危惧種 (ぜつめつきぐしゅ, endangered species), 絶滅の危機に瀕する (be on the brink of extinction).

Remember it 絶 (to cut off) + 滅 (to perish) → cut off and gone for good.

絶滅危惧種ぜつめつきぐしゅを保護ほごするための法律ほうりつが制定せいていされた。

A law was passed to protect endangered species.

Usage 保護する = to protect: 自然保護 (nature conservation), 保護区 (reserve), 個人情報保護 (data protection). 保護者 means a parent or guardian, a word you'll see on every school form.

Remember it 保 (to keep) + 護 (to guard) → keeping and guarding.

外来種がいらいしゅの侵入しんにゅうが生態系せいたいけいを乱みだしている。

Invasive species are disrupting the ecosystem.

Usage 生態系 = ecosystem. The suffix 系 marks a system: 太陽系 (solar system), 体系 (a system). Related: 生物多様性 (biodiversity).

Remember it 生態 (mode of life, ecology) + 系 (system) → the system that living things form.

昆虫こんちゅうは地球上ちきゅうじょうで最もっとも種類しゅるいが多おおい動物どうぶつだ。

Insects are the most diverse animals on Earth.

Usage 昆虫 is the scientific word for insects: 昆虫採集 (collecting insects), 昆虫食 (eating insects). In conversation, 虫 (むし) covers insects and bugs of all kinds.

Remember it 昆 (many, swarming) + 虫 (bug) → the swarming bugs.

この平原へいげんは穀倉地帯こくそうちたいとして知しられている。

This plain is known as a grain-producing region.

Usage 平原 is a wide, open plain, often used for continents (the Great Plains). In Japanese geography, 平野 (へいや) is the usual word: 関東平野 (the Kanto Plain).

Remember it 平 (flat) + 原 (field, plain) → a flat, open field.

サハラ砂漠さばくは世界せかいで最大さいだいの砂漠さばくだ。

The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world.

Usage 砂漠 = desert: 砂漠化 (desertification), 砂漠地帯 (desert region). Figuratively, 心の砂漠 is an emotional wasteland.

Remember it 砂 (sand) + 漠 (vast, empty) → a vast emptiness of sand.

この半島はんとうの先端せんたんからは美うつくしい日の出ひのでが見みえる。

From the tip of this peninsula you can see a beautiful sunrise.

Usage 半島 is land with sea on three sides: 伊豆半島, 朝鮮半島 (the Korean Peninsula). 島 (しま) is an island.

Remember it 半 (half) + 島 (island) → half an island.

東京湾とうきょうわんは日本にほんで最もっとも重要じゅうような港湾こうわん地帯ちたいだ。

Tokyo Bay is Japan's most important port area.

Usage 湾 is a bay, mostly in place names: 東京湾, ペルシャ湾. 湾岸 (わんがん) = bayside, 港湾 (こうわん) = harbors and ports.

Remember it 氵 (water) + 弯 (curved) → water inside a curve of the coast.

海岸かいがんで拾ひろったゴミを分別ぶんべつして捨すてた。

I sorted and threw away the litter I picked up on the beach.

Usage 海岸 is the coast or shore, more geographical: 海岸線 (coastline), 海岸沿い (along the coast). 海辺 (うみべ) and 浜辺 (はまべ) feel more like the beach.

Remember it 海 (sea) + 岸 (shore) → the shore of the sea.

アフリカ大陸アフリカたいりくには多様たような生態系せいたいけいが存在そんざいする。

The African continent is home to diverse ecosystems.

Usage 大陸 = continent: アフリカ大陸, 大陸横断 (crossing a continent), 大陸棚 (continental shelf). Japan calls itself a 島国 (island nation) in contrast.

Remember it 大 (big) + 陸 (land) → the big land.

海流かいりゅうの変化へんかが世界せかいの気候きこうに影響えいきょうを与あたえる。

Changes in ocean currents affect the world's climate.

Usage 海流 is a major ocean current such as the Gulf Stream. Japan's are 黒潮 (the warm Kuroshio) and 親潮 (the cold Oyashio). 潮流 (ちょうりゅう) is a tidal current, or a trend.

Remember it 海 (sea) + 流 (flow) → the sea's flow.

干潮かんちょうの時間じかんに浜辺はまべを散歩さんぽすると貝かいが拾ひろえる。

If you walk along the beach at low tide, you can pick up shells.

Usage 干潮 = low tide; its pair is 満潮 (high tide). 潮干狩り (しおひがり) is the Japanese pastime of digging for clams at low tide.

Remember it 干 (to dry out) + 潮 (tide) → the tide has gone out and the shore dries.

満潮まんちょうになると、あの岩場いわばは海うみに沈しずむ。

At high tide, those rocks sink beneath the sea.

Usage 満潮 = high tide; its pair is 干潮. 満潮時 = at high tide.

Remember it 満 (full) + 潮 (tide) → the tide at its fullest.

長年ながねんの雨あめと風かぜにより、岩山いわやまが侵食しんしょくされた。

Years of rain and wind have eroded the rocky mountain.

Usage 侵食 is erosion, also written 浸食: 侵食する, 海岸侵食 (coastal erosion). Figuratively, it can mean eating into something: 市場を侵食する (erode a market).

Remember it 侵 (to invade) + 食 (to eat) → invading and eating away.

崖がけの断面だんめんに地層ちそうがきれいに見みえた。

The rock strata were clearly visible in the cliff face.

Usage 地層 is a geological layer: 地層を調べる, 古い地層. Reading passages use strata to talk about past climates and fossils (化石, かせき).

Remember it 地 (earth) + 層 (layer) → layers of earth.

この地域ちいきには珍めずらしい鉱物こうぶつが豊富ほうふに埋蔵まいぞうされている。

This region has rich deposits of rare minerals.

Usage 鉱物 = mineral: 鉱山 (mine), 鉱石 (ore), 希少鉱物 (rare minerals). ミネラル is minerals in food and water.

Remember it 鉱 (ore) + 物 (thing) → things dug out as ore.

天然資源てんねんしげんを大切たいせつに使つかわなければならない。

We must use natural resources carefully.

Usage 天然資源 = natural resources, often in 天然資源の枯渇 (depletion of natural resources). 天然 also means 'natural' in food (天然の魚, wild fish) and slang (天然, an airhead).

Remember it 天然 (heaven-made, natural) + 資源 (resources) → resources made by nature.

地下水ちかすいの枯渇こかつが農業のうぎょうに深刻しんこくな影響えいきょうを与あたえている。

Depletion of groundwater is having a serious impact on farming.

Usage 枯渇する = to run dry or be depleted: 資源の枯渇, 財源が枯渇する (funds run out). It is formal; in conversation use なくなる.

Remember it 枯 (to wither) + 渇 (to be thirsty) → withered and parched until nothing is left.

再生可能エネルギーさいせいかのうエネルギーの普及ふきゅうが急速きゅうそくに進すすんでいる。

Renewable energy is spreading rapidly.

Usage 再生可能エネルギー = renewable energy, often shortened to 再エネ. It covers 太陽光 (solar), 風力 (wind), 水力 (hydro) and 地熱 (geothermal).

Remember it 再生 (to regenerate) + 可能 (possible) + エネルギー → energy that can regenerate itself.

二酸化炭素にさんかたんその排出はいしゅつを減へらすことが急務きゅうむだ。

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is an urgent task.

Usage 二酸化炭素 = CO2: 二酸化炭素の排出量 (CO2 emissions), 温室効果ガス (greenhouse gases). Other chemicals follow the same pattern: 一酸化炭素 (carbon monoxide).

Remember it 二 (two) + 酸化 (oxide) + 炭素 (carbon) → carbon with two oxygens. CO2, spelled out.

車くるまの排出はいしゅつガスが大気たいきを汚染おせんしている。

Car exhaust fumes are polluting the air.

Usage 排出する = to emit or discharge: 排出量 (amount emitted), 排出ガス (exhaust), 排出権取引 (emissions trading).

Remember it 排 (to push out) + 出 (to go out) → pushing out.

コストを削減さくげんするために、残業ざんぎょうを減へらす方針ほうしんを取とった。

To cut costs, the company adopted a policy of reducing overtime.

Usage 削減 is a planned cut: コスト削減, 人員削減 (staff cuts), CO2削減. It is more formal and deliberate than 減らす.

Remember it 削 (to shave off) + 減 (to decrease) → shaving things down.

ガラパゴス諸島しょとうには多おおくの固有種こゆうしゅが生息せいそくしている。

Many endemic species live in the Galápagos Islands.

Usage 固有種 is a species found in only one place, such as the Amami rabbit in Japan. Compare 在来種 (native species) and 外来種 (introduced species).

Remember it 固有 (inherent, unique) + 種 (species) → a species unique to one place.

外来種がいらいしゅの繁殖はんしょくが在来種ざいらいしゅを脅おびやかしている。

The spread of invasive species is threatening native species.

Usage 外来種 is a species brought in from outside, often harmful to local ecosystems: raccoons (アライグマ) in Japan, for example. Its opposite is 在来種 (native species).

Remember it 外 (outside) + 来 (to come) + 種 (species) → a species that came from outside.

農薬のうやくの使つかいすぎで土壌どじょうが汚染おせんされる恐おそれがある。

Overusing pesticides risks contaminating the soil.

Usage 土壌 is soil as a scientific term: 土壌汚染, 土壌改良 (soil improvement). Figuratively, 土壌 is a breeding ground: 犯罪の土壌. Everyday word: 土 (つち).

Remember it 土 (earth) + 壌 (soil, fertile ground) → fertile earth.

アマゾンの熱帯雨林ねったいうりんは「地球ちきゅうの肺はい」と呼よばれる。

The Amazon rainforest is called 'the lungs of the Earth'.

Usage 熱帯雨林 = tropical rainforest. 熱帯 (tropics) contrasts with 温帯 (temperate zone) and 寒帯 (polar zone).

Remember it 熱帯 (hot zone) + 雨林 (rain forest) → the rain forest of the hot zone.

砂漠化さばくかが進すすむと、農地のうちが失うしなわれていく。

As desertification progresses, farmland is lost.

Usage 砂漠化 = desertification: 砂漠化が進む, 砂漠化防止. It follows the same 化 pattern as 温暖化 and 高齢化: turning into something.

Remember it 砂漠 (desert) + 化 (to become) → becoming desert.

乱開発らんかいはつによる生態系の破壊せいたいけいのはかいが問題もんだいとなっている。

The destruction of ecosystems through reckless development has become a problem.

Usage 生態系の破壊 = destruction of an ecosystem. 破壊する = to destroy. Related phrases: 環境破壊 (environmental destruction), 自然破壊.

Remember it 生態系 (ecosystem) + 破壊 (破 break + 壊 collapse) → breaking an ecosystem until it collapses.

工場こうじょうの排水はいすいによる水質汚染すいしつおせんが深刻しんこくだ。

Water pollution from factory wastewater is serious.

Usage 水質汚染 = water pollution. 水質 means water quality: 水質検査 (water testing). The set to learn: 大気汚染, 水質汚染, 土壌汚染.

Remember it 水質 (water quality) + 汚染 (pollution) → the quality of water, polluted.