How do you say "sea" in Japanese?

海

umi

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "sea" is 海 (umi).

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Pronunciation

海 is written using kanji. Romanised as umi, it sounds roughly like "oo-mee" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

海 is a common kanji for sea or ocean, depicted traditionally with the water radical. It appears frequently in place names and maritime contexts throughout Japan.

Example sentence

海で泳ぐのが大好きです。

Umi de oyogu no ga daisuki desu.

I love swimming in the sea.

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How to remember 海

The kanji 海 features the water radical, essential for an island nation.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese nouns.

Questions about 海

How do you pronounce 海?

海 is romanised as umi. Say it roughly like "oo-mee" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 海 formal or casual?

海 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 海 written in Japanese?

海 is written using kanji. 海 is a common kanji for sea or ocean, depicted traditionally with the water radical.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Sea" in other languages

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