(こふん)

こふん
noun
ancient burial mound, tumulus
1. ancient burial mound, tumulus
A large earthen mound built as a tomb for rulers and powerful figures in ancient Japan, dating mainly from the 3rd to 7th centuries. The most distinctive type is the keyhole-shaped mound (前方後円墳(ぜんぽうこうえんふん)).
この古墳(こふん)五世紀(ごせいき)のものだ。
This burial mound dates from the 5th century.
大阪(おおさか)には世界最大(せかいさいだい)古墳(こふん)がある。
Osaka has the world's largest burial mound.
古墳(こふん)時代(じだい)には(おお)くの豪族(ごうぞく)巨大(きょだい)(はか)(きず)いた。
During the Kofun period, many powerful clans built enormous tombs.

The 古墳(こふん)時代(じだい) (Kofun period, c. 250-538 CE) is named after these burial mounds. The most famous is 仁徳天皇陵(にんとくてんのうりょう) in (さかい), 大阪(おおさか), the largest keyhole-shaped tomb in the world. Many 古墳(こふん) have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 古墳(こふん)時代(じだい) — the Kofun period
  • 前方後円墳(ぜんぽうこうえんふん) — keyhole-shaped burial mound
  • 古墳(こふん)(ぐん) — a group of burial mounds
  • 古墳(こふん)発掘(はっくつ)する — to excavate a burial mound