硫黄(いおう)

いおう
noun
sulfur
naturescience
1. sulfur
A yellow chemical element with a distinctive smell, commonly found near volcanoes and hot springs. Used in various industrial processes and associated with volcanic and geothermal areas in Japan.
硫黄(いおう)の匂(にお)いがする。
It smells of sulfur.
温泉(おんせん)の近(ちか)くで硫黄(いおう)の匂(にお)いが強(つよ)くなった。
The smell of sulfur got stronger near the hot spring.
火山(かざん)地帯(ちたい)では硫黄(いおう)が地表(ちひょう)に黄色(きいろ)い結晶(けっしょう)として現(あらわ)れることがある。
In volcanic regions, sulfur sometimes appears on the surface as yellow crystals.

Usage

Most commonly encountered in the context of 温泉(おんせん) (hot springs) and 火山(かざん) (volcanoes). The distinctive rotten-egg smell of 硫黄(いおう) is a familiar sensory experience at many Japanese hot spring resorts.

Writing

硫(りゅう) refers to sulfur as a chemical element and 黄(おう) means "yellow," describing the element's characteristic color. The reading いおう is irregular.

Common collocations

  • 硫黄(いおう)の匂(にお)い: smell of sulfur
  • 硫黄(いおう)泉(せん): sulfur spring
  • 硫黄(いおう)島(じま): Iwo Jima (literally "Sulfur Island")
general
Added 2026.2.26 21:53 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
13500/13680_iou