1.
waterfall; cascade; cataract
A waterfall, especially one that plunges dramatically from a height. A literary and somewhat poetic word.
山奥に飛瀑がある。
There is a waterfall deep in the mountains.
飛瀑の音が谷に響いた。
The sound of the waterfall echoed through the valley.
断崖から落ちる飛瀑は壮大な景色だった。
The waterfall plunging from the cliff was a magnificent sight.
Composed of 飛 (to fly) + 瀑 (waterfall). Literally "flying waterfall," evoking the image of water leaping or plunging from a height. A literary term used primarily in written descriptions of nature and landscape.
USAGE:
- More poetic and literary than the everyday word 滝
- Often found in travel writing, nature descriptions, classical poetry, and place names
- Evokes grandeur and the dynamic energy of falling water
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 飛瀑が落ちる: a waterfall plunges
- 飛瀑の轟音: the thundering sound of a waterfall
- 飛瀑直下: directly below a waterfall
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 滝: waterfall — the standard everyday word
- 瀑布: waterfall — another literary/formal synonym
- 落差: drop, fall — the height of a waterfall's descent