How to say "waterfall" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 滝たきnounThe common, everyday word for a waterfall, covering falls large and small; when talking or writing about an actual waterfall, this is almost always the word you want.
- 瀑布ばくふnounA more bookish equivalent of 滝 that also covers the senses 'cataract' and 'cascade'; you will mainly meet it in written descriptions of scenery rather than in everyday conversation.
- nounThe katakana borrowing of the English word. It keeps a foreign flavor and is not the natural choice for an actual waterfall — use 滝; you may encounter it where English terms are kept as-is.
- 飛泉ひせんnounA literary synonym, literally 'flying spring'; it turns up in poetry and literary prose, and for an ordinary waterfall it is seldom the word you want — 滝 covers that ground.
Use 滝 for any waterfall in normal speech and writing; 瀑布 is a weightier written word that also covers 'cataract' and 'cascade', while 「ウォーターフォール」 (a katakana borrowing) and 飛泉 (a poetic synonym) are seldom needed.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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