海峡|かいきょうkaikyou[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounchannel (e.g. between two land masses); strait
   アメリカンインディアンの祖先そせんは、ベーリング海峡かいきょうを経由けいゆしてアジアから米べい大陸たいりくへ渡わたった。↗

   The ancestors of Native Americans went to the continent from Asia by way of the Bering Strait.

• Synonym瀬戸せとNeutralA narrow strait or river passage where the land on both sides comes close; found mostly in place names like 「音戸の瀬戸」. Use 「海峡」 in general statements.
• Related水道すいどうNeutralMostly means tap water; as a sea passage it covers narrower waters between land masses and appears chiefly in place names like 「豊後水道」. 「海峡」 is the general term.
• Antonym地峡ちきょうWrittenAntonym: a narrow strip of land between two seas, the counterpart of 「海峡」, which connects two seas. Written/formal prose.

A narrow sea area between two land masses that links two seas is 「海峡」, as in 「津軽海峡」. Sea passages in place names often use 「水道」 or 「瀬戸」 instead. A narrow strip of land connecting landmasses is 「地峡」.

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

1. 陸地りくちに挟はさまれた、二ふたつの海域かいいきをつなぐ細長ほそながい海うみ。