How to say "slope" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 坂さかnounA sloping road, street, or hill itself. This is the everyday word when talking about walking up or down a slope, as in a hilly town or a steep hill on a route.
- 斜面しゃめんnounA slanting surface, especially ground such as a hillside or mountainside. Use this for the inclined face of terrain, not for roads or for measuring steepness.
- 勾配こうばいnounThe gradient or grade of an incline — how steep it is. Choose this when the slope is being quantified or discussed technically, as with roads, roofs, or railways.
- 傾きかたむきnounAn inclination or tilt, the degree to which something leans or slants. It is really about tilt or inclination rather than a slope as a physical feature or path.
- nounA loanword for a ramp or sloped structure, such as a wheelchair ramp or a loading ramp. It is not the usual word for a natural hillside or for gradient.
Use 坂 for a sloped road or hill, 斜面 for a slanting surface such as a hillside, 勾配 for the degree or gradient of an incline, 「傾き」 for tilt or inclination, and 「スロープ」 for ramps.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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