How do you say "gravel" in Japanese?

砂利

jari

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "gravel" is 砂利 (jari).

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Pronunciation

砂利 is written using kanji. Romanised as jari, it sounds roughly like "jah-ree" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Jari (砂利) uses sand (砂) plus profit or benefit (利). The combination indicates small pebbles or loose rocks used in landscaping.

Example sentence

部屋に砂利があります。

Heya ni Jari ga arimasu.

There is a gravel in the room.

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How to remember 砂利

Sand (suna) becomes jari when combined with ri (profit). Gravel is scattered, like individual pieces of profit.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese nouns.

Questions about 砂利

How do you pronounce 砂利?

砂利 is romanised as jari. Say it roughly like "jah-ree" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 砂利 formal or casual?

砂利 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 砂利 written in Japanese?

砂利 is written using kanji. Jari (砂利) uses sand (砂) plus profit or benefit (利).

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Gravel" in other languages

Curated by Callan Ratcliffe

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