(もり)

もり
noun
forest, woods
1. forest
A large area covered with trees.
To walk through the forest.
There are animals in the forest.
I got lost in the deep forest.
I can hear birds in the forest.
The forest air is fresh.
It's dangerous to enter the forest.
2. woods, grove
A smaller wooded area.
The grove around the shrine is quiet.
There is a small woods.
We played in the park woods.
There's a small woods near my house.
There's a small woods behind the school, and children often play there.

(もり) refers to a forest or wooded area, typically denser than (はやし).

COMPARE - FOREST WORDS:

  • (もり): forest, woods (denser, darker)
  • (はやし): grove, woods (sparser, lighter)
  • 森林(しんりん): forest (formal/technical term)
  • 山林(さんりん): mountain forest

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

  • 森林(しんりん)(よく): forest bathing (nature therapy)
  • 熱帯雨林(ねったいうりん): tropical rainforest
  • 原生林(げんせいりん): primeval forest

CULTURAL NOTE:
In Shinto, 鎮守(ちんじゅ)(もり) refers to sacred groves around shrines, believed to be dwelling places of (かみ) (gods).

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • (もり)(なか): in the forest
  • (ふか)(もり): deep forest