1.
skyscraper; high-rise building
A very tall building, typically in a major city. The kanji literally mean "sky-scraping tower" (摩 rub/scrape + 天 sky/heaven + 楼 tower). A somewhat literary or dramatic word compared to the more neutral 高層ビル.
ニューヨークは摩天楼の街だ。
New York is a city of skyscrapers.
摩天楼が立ち並ぶ都会の風景に圧倒された。
I was overwhelmed by the urban landscape lined with skyscrapers.
夜になると摩天楼の窓から無数の光がこぼれ、まるで宝石箱のようだった。
At night, countless lights spilled from the skyscraper windows, making it look like a jewelry box.
USAGE:
A literary and evocative word often used in descriptions of cityscapes, travel writing, and poetry. In everyday conversation, 高層ビル (high-rise building) is more common. 摩天楼 carries a sense of grandeur and awe.
ETYMOLOGY:
A calque (loan translation) of the English word "skyscraper." The kanji break down as: 摩 (to rub, scrape) + 天 (sky, heaven) + 楼 (tower, multi-story building).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 摩天楼が立ち並ぶ (skyscrapers standing in a row)
- 摩天楼群 (cluster of skyscrapers)
- 摩天楼の街 (city of skyscrapers)