海面(かいめん)

かいめん
noun
sea surface; sea level
1. sea surface; surface of the sea
The surface of the ocean or sea, as observed from above or at water level.
海面(かいめん)が光(ひか)っている。
The sea surface is gleaming.
海面(かいめん)に浮(う)かぶ小(ちい)さな島(しま)が見(み)えた。
I could see a small island floating on the sea surface.
風(かぜ)が強(つよ)くなり、海面(かいめん)が荒(あ)れ始(はじ)めた。
The wind picked up and the sea surface began to get rough.
2. sea level
The average level of the sea's surface, used as a baseline for measuring elevation. Often appears in the compound 海面上昇 (sea level rise).
この山(やま)は海面(かいめん)から約(やく)3,000メートルの高(たか)さだ。
This mountain is about 3,000 meters above sea level.
地球(ちきゅう)温暖化(おんだんか)により海面(かいめん)が上昇(じょうしょう)している。
Sea levels are rising due to global warming.
海面(かいめん)上昇(じょうしょう)が続(つづ)けば、低(ひく)い島(しま)は水没(すいぼつ)する恐(おそ)れがある。
If sea level rise continues, low-lying islands may be submerged.

海面(かいめん) has two related meanings: the physical surface of the sea, and sea level as a reference for elevation.

COMPOSITION:
海(かい) (sea) + 面(めん) (surface)

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 海面(かいめん)上昇(じょうしょう): sea level rise
  • 海面(かいめん)温度(おんど): sea surface temperature
  • 海面(かいめん)から〜メートル: X meters above sea level
  • 海面(かいめん)が荒(あ)れる: the sea surface gets rough

RELATED WORDS:

  • 水面(すいめん): water surface (general)
  • 湖面(こめん): lake surface
  • 地面(じめん): ground surface
  • 海抜(かいばつ): elevation above sea level (synonym for sense 2)

USAGE:
In scientific and news contexts, 海面(かいめん) often appears in discussions of climate change (海面(かいめん)上昇(じょうしょう)). For elevation, 海抜(かいばつ) is a more precise synonym.

general
Added 2026.3.8 21:24 · Revised 2026.3.26 22:07
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