How to say "mine" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 鉱山こうざんnounThe general word for a mine as a place where ore is extracted. Use it when talking about mining regions, a mine accident in the news, or a visit to an old mine.
- noun, counterThe word for 'mountain' in its secondary sense of a mine; people in the mining trade use it this way, so in ordinary contexts 鉱山 is usually the word you want.
- 山元やまもとnounA coal-trade term for the mine or colliery itself; it belongs to the vocabulary of the coal business, so for 'mine' in ordinary use 鉱山 is the word you want.
For a mine as a place where ore is dug, use 鉱山; 「やま」 is the mining-trade way of saying the same thing, and 山元 is coal-trade vocabulary for the colliery itself.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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