山腹(さんぷく)

Refers to the slope of a mountain between its base and summit.

Forms

山(さん) (mountain) + 腹(ぷく) (belly). The character 腹(はら) is used metaphorically — the 'belly' of a mountain means its side.

Common collocations

• 山腹(さんぷく)を登(のぼ)る: to climb the mountainside
• 山腹(さんぷく)が崩(くず)れる: the mountainside collapses
• 山腹(さんぷく)に広(ひろ)がる: to spread across the mountainside
• 山腹(さんぷく)の斜面(しゃめん): mountainside slope

Related mountain terms

• 山頂(さんちょう): mountain summit
• 山麓(さんろく): foot of a mountain
• 山肌(やまはだ): mountain surface/face

Register

A somewhat literary or formal word. In everyday speech, 山(やま)の途中(とちゅう) (partway up the mountain) is more natural.