How to say "downstream" in Japanese

• 下流かりゅうCommon
  nounCovers the literal sense: the lower reaches of a river or the direction the water flows. The general, neutral term, at home in both everyday description and technical talk about rivers and water.
  まず、私の活動かつどう範囲はんいは、おもに養老ようろう川下かわしも流域りゅういきです。↗

  First off, my area of work is mainly in the lower reaches of the Yourou River.
• 川下かわしもCommon
  no-adjectiveAlso the literal river sense: the downstream part of a river, or movement toward it. Slightly more concrete and pictorial than 下流, it fits narrative scenes such as drifting or boating down a river.
  私わたしたちは川下かわしもにある橋はしを渡わたって回り道まわりみちをしなければならなかった。↗

  We had to make a detour across a bridge down the river from here.

Both words cover the literal river sense of 'downstream': 下流 is the more general, neutral term for the lower reaches or the downstream direction, while 川下 is a concrete word for the downstream part of a river, typical of narrative description.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 下流かりゅうdownstream
• 川下かわしもdownstream
• ダウンストリームdownstream
• 下りくだりdownstream