氷山(ひょうざん)

ひょうざん
noun
iceberg
nature
1. iceberg
A large mass of ice that has broken off from a glacier and floats in the sea. Also used figuratively in the expression 'tip of the iceberg.'
氷山(ひょうざん)の一角(いっかく)にすぎない。
It is only the tip of the iceberg.
大(おお)きな氷山(ひょうざん)が海(うみ)に浮(う)かんでいた。
A large iceberg was floating in the sea.
この問題(もんだい)は氷山(ひょうざん)の一角(いっかく)で、実際(じっさい)にはもっと深刻(しんこく)な状況(じょうきょう)だ。
This problem is just the tip of the iceberg — the actual situation is much more serious.

Usage

Most commonly encountered in the set phrase 氷山(ひょうざん)の一角(いっかく) (the tip of the iceberg), meaning that what is visible represents only a small portion of a larger problem or situation. This expression parallels the English idiom exactly.

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.3.19 18:10 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
17500/17914_hyouzan