How to say "inlet" in Japanese

• 浦うらCommon
  nounA sheltered inlet on an open sea coast, often pictured with a fishing village on its shore. Choose it for a small, calm coastal inlet rather than a large bay.
• 湾わんJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)Use 湾 for a bay, and for an 'inlet' that is really a broad indentation of the coast; the word also covers 'gulf'. For a small sheltered cove, 浦 is the closer fit.
  川かわは山やまから下くだって湾わんに注そそいでいる。↗

  The river descends from the mountains to the bay below.
• 内海ないかいCommon
  nounPrimarily 'inland sea' — a sea almost enclosed by islands and coastline. Its 'inlet', 'bay' and 'gulf' glosses are secondary; for an ordinary coastal inlet this is seldom the word you want.
• 江えCommon
  nounAn inlet or bay: a stretch of sea reaching into the land. It overlaps with 浦; use it when you mean the body of water itself rather than the shore beside it.
• 潟かたCommon
  nounA shallow, lagoon-like inlet or creek, where the sea reaches into low-lying land. Choose it for quiet, shallow water of that kind; it is not a word for a large bay or gulf.

For a large bay use 湾; for a small sheltered coastal inlet 浦; for a shallow, creek-like inlet 潟; 江 is a compact word for an inlet or bay; 内海 really means 'inland sea'.

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

• 浦うらinlet
• 湾わんbay
• 内海ないかいinland sea
• 江えinlet
• 入り江いりえinlet
• インレットinlet
• 吸い込み口すいこみぐちinlet
• 内湾ないわんenclosed bay
• 入り海いりうみbay
• 裏海りかいinland sea
• 潟かたinlet