1.
coral
Marine organisms that form reef structures, or the hard material from coral skeletons used in jewelry.
沖縄の海には珊瑚がたくさんある。
There's a lot of coral in Okinawa's waters.
珊瑚礁でシュノーケリングした。
I went snorkeling at the coral reef.
珊瑚の白化が問題になっている。
Coral bleaching has become a problem.
珊瑚 refers to both the living marine organisms that build reef structures and the hard material (especially red coral) used in jewelry and crafts.
WRITING:
Often written in katakana (サンゴ) in scientific and environmental contexts, and in kanji (珊瑚) in cultural and literary contexts.
COMMON COMPOUNDS:
- 珊瑚礁: coral reef
- 珊瑚の白化: coral bleaching
- 赤珊瑚: red coral (precious variety)
- 珊瑚の海: coral sea
CULTURAL NOTE:
Red coral has been prized in Japan since ancient times for jewelry and ornaments. 沖縄 and the southern islands are known for their coral reefs. Coral bleaching (白化) due to rising sea temperatures is a frequent topic in environmental news.