How to say "flood" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbA verb meaning to overflow, brim over, or flood. Use it when water (or other things) spills over or a container or place fills beyond capacity, as in 'the river flooded'.
- 洪水こうずいnounThe noun for a flood or flooding as a natural disaster or event, as in news reports of a river flooding a town. This is usually the word you want for 'flood' as a thing or happening.
- 浸水しんすいnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbA noun for inundation or submersion: a place being flooded with water, such as a house, street, or basement. It describes the state of an area being under water rather than the flood event itself.
- 殺到さっとうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbMeaning a rush or deluge, this covers only the metaphorical 'flood' of people, orders, or inquiries arriving all at once. It is not used for actual water, so it is seldom the word you want for a literal flood.その本の注文が殺到した。↗Orders for the book poured in.
- 氾濫はんらんnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbA noun meaning overflowing, flood, or deluge, typically of water overflowing its bounds such as a river flooding its banks. It is also used figuratively for things spreading in excess.
Use 洪水 for a flood as an event or disaster, 「あふれる」 for the verb 'to overflow', 浸水 for water inundating a place, 氾濫 for water overflowing its bounds, and 殺到 only for metaphorical floods of people or things.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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