炭 鉱(たんこう)

たんこう

noun

coal mine

1. coal mine, coal pit

An underground excavation for extracting coal.

この町(まち)はかつて炭鉱(たんこう)で栄(さか)えた。

This town once prospered from coal mining.

炭鉱(たんこう)が閉山(へいざん)された。

The coal mine was closed.

炭鉱(たんこう)で働(はたら)く人々(ひとびと)。

People who work in coal mines.

炭鉱(たんこう) refers to coal mines and the coal mining industry.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

炭鉱(たんこう)労働者(ろうどうしゃ): coal miner
炭鉱(たんこう)夫(ふ): coal miner (older term)
炭鉱(たんこう)の町(まち): coal mining town
閉山(へいざん): mine closure

HISTORICAL NOTE:
Japan had many coal mines, especially in Kyushu and Hokkaido, but most closed by the 1960s-70s as oil became the primary energy source.

RELATED WORDS:

鉱山(こうざん): mine (general)
石炭(せきたん): coal
採掘(さいくつ): mining, excavation

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Added 2026.1.14 9:33 · Revised 2026.6.1 5:09

04500/04504_tankou