隕 石(いんせき)

いんせき

noun

meteorite

informal

1. meteorite

A solid piece of debris from an asteroid or comet that survives passage through the atmosphere and lands on Earth's surface.

博物館(はくぶつかん)で隕石(いんせき)を見(み)た。

I saw a meteorite at the museum.

隕石(いんせき)の分析(ぶんせき)から太陽系(たいようけい)の歴史(れきし)がわかる。

Analysis of meteorites reveals the history of the solar system.

隕石(いんせき)が畑(はたけ)に落(お)ちているのを農家(のうか)が発見(はっけん)した。

A farmer found a meteorite that had fallen in the field.

隕石(いんせき) refers to a meteorite. 隕(いん) means 'fall from the sky' and 石(せき) means 'stone.'

Meteor terminology

流星(りゅうせい): meteor (streak of light)
流(なが)れ星(ぼし): shooting star (casual)
隕石(いんせき): meteorite (rock that reaches ground)
隕鉄(いんてつ): iron meteorite

Types

石質(せきしつ)隕石(いんせき): stony meteorite
鉄(てつ)隕石(いんせき): iron meteorite
石鉄(せきてつ)隕石(いんせき): stony-iron meteorite

Common expressions

隕石(いんせき)が落(お)ちる: a meteorite falls
隕石(いんせき)を拾(ひろ)う: to find/pick up a meteorite
隕石(いんせき)クレーター: meteorite crater
隕石(いんせき)衝突(しょうとつ): meteorite impact

Scientific value

Meteorites provide material from outer space for scientific study
Some contain organic compounds or minerals not found on Earth

Related Words

Related: 流(なが)れ星(ぼし) (shooting star)

Related: 流星(りゅうせい) (meteor)

Related: 彗星(すいせい) (comet)

Compare: 火球(かきゅう) (fireball)

general

Added 2026.1.14 19:37 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29

05000/05054_inseki