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How to say 'Island' in Japanese | 島

Wondering how to say 'Island' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Island is 'Shima', written as 島 in Japanese.'Island' in hiragana is しま.

    word

    Meaning

    Island

    Reading

    しま

    shima

    Kanji

    Island

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '島 (しま)' means 'island'. This word refers to a piece of land surrounded by water, and it is commonly used to describe both natural and man-made islands. It can be used in various contexts, such as geography, travel, or even metaphorically. For example: I want to visit a tropical island「熱帯の島に行きたい」(ねったいのしまにいきたい). This island is famous for its beautiful beaches「この島は美しいビーチで有名です」(このしまはうつくしいビーチでゆうめいです). The word '島' can also be part of compound words, such as '無人島 (むじんとう)' (uninhabited island) or '島国 (しまぐに)' (island country).

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N2

    Kanji Grade

    3

    Frequency

    1396

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Island

Words Related to Through the Kanji

These 3 Words contain the Kanji 島 as well.

  • word

    半島

    Meaning

    Peninsula

  • word

    列島

    Meaning

    Archipelago

  • word

    諸島

    Meaning

    Archipelago

Learn the Word

Let's make sure you fully understand this word.

What does 'Shima' (島) mean?

'Shima' means 'Island' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.