(はま)

はま
noun
beach, shore
1. beach, shore, seashore
The sandy or pebbly shore of a sea, lake, or river.
(なつ)(はま)(およ)ぐのが(たの)しみだ。
I look forward to swimming at the beach in summer.
(はま)散歩(さんぽ)しながら貝殻(かいがら)(ひろ)った。
I picked up shells while walking along the beach.
(なみ)(はま)()()せる(おと)心地(ここち)よい。
The sound of waves lapping at the shore is pleasant.
砂浜(すなはま)(すわ)って、夕日(ゆうひ)(うみ)(しず)むのを(なが)めた。
I sat on the sandy beach and watched the sun set into the sea.
台風(たいふう)(あと)(はま)にはたくさんの流木(りゅうぼく)やゴミが()()げられていて、ボランティアが清掃(せいそう)をしていた。
After the typhoon, lots of driftwood and trash had washed up on the beach, and volunteers were cleaning it up.

(はま) refers to a beach or shore. Common in place names throughout Japan.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 浜辺(はまべ): seashore, beach
  • 砂浜(すなはま): sandy beach
  • 石浜(いしはま): pebble beach
  • (はま)()()げられる: to be washed up on the beach

IN PLACE NAMES:

  • 横浜(よこはま): Yokohama
  • 浜松(はままつ): Hamamatsu
  • 浜田(はまだ): Hamada

RELATED WORDS:

  • 海岸(かいがん): coast, seashore
  • ビーチ: beach (loanword)
  • (すな): sand
  • 波打(なみう)(ぎわ): water's edge

CULTURAL NOTE:

  • (はま)潮干狩(しおひが)り: clam digging at the beach (popular spring activity)