1.
rocky mountain; a mountain or hill composed mainly of exposed rock rather than soil and vegetation
A mountain or hill where rock is prominently exposed at the surface rather than being covered by forest or soil. Often describes steep, bare mountains used for rock climbing or featured in dramatic natural scenery.
遠くに岩山が見える。
You can see a rocky mountain in the distance.
この地域には険しい岩山が多い。
There are many steep rocky mountains in this area.
登山家たちは危険な岩山を一歩一歩慎重に登っていった。
The climbers carefully ascended the dangerous rocky mountain step by step.
Compound of 岩 ('rock') and 山 ('mountain'). Note the rendaku in 岩山 does NOT apply — the second element remains やま (not がま/ざま).
USAGE:
- A descriptive term for any hill or mountain whose surface is dominated by bare rock rather than vegetation.
- Common in travelogues, nature writing, and climbing contexts.
- May also appear in place names (e.g., 岩山公園 'Iwayama Park').
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 険しい岩山: steep rocky mountain
- 岩山を登る: to climb a rocky mountain
- 切り立った岩山: sheer rocky mountain / cliff-faced mountain
- 岩山の頂上: summit of the rocky mountain
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 岩場: rocky area / rocky outcrop — a stretch of exposed rock, not necessarily a whole mountain.
- 崖: cliff — a steep vertical rock face, often part of a larger formation.
- 山: mountain — the general term, without reference to composition.
RELATED TERMS:
- 岩石: rock (geological term)
- 岩肌: rock surface; bare rock face
- 登山: mountain climbing