How to say "mining" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 採掘さいくつnoun, suru verb, transitive verbMining as the physical work of digging coal, ore or other resources out of the ground; it also covers digging and working a mine generally, making it the default choice for concrete mining activity.
- 採鉱さいこうnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbMining as the extraction of ore and mineral resources — its 鉱 means ore — so it suits contexts treating mining as an industry or technical subject rather than digging in general.
Both mean extracting minerals from the ground, but 採掘 is the broader word, covering mining and digging generally, while 採鉱 is the narrower term for mining as the extraction of ore and mineral resources.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
