1.
whaling
The practice or industry of hunting whales. A historically and politically significant topic in Japan, where whaling has a long cultural tradition. Composed of 捕 (catch) + 鯨 (whale).
Usage
捕鯨 refers specifically to whale hunting as an activity or industry. For the whale itself, use 鯨.
Common collocations
- 商業捕鯨 (commercial whaling)
- 調査捕鯨 (research whaling)
- 捕鯨船 (whaling ship)
- 捕鯨基地 (whaling base)
- 捕鯨禁止 (whaling ban)
Cultural note
Whaling has been practiced in Japan for centuries, particularly in coastal communities like 太地町 in Wakayama Prefecture. Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission in 2019 and resumed commercial whaling in its territorial waters.