1.
reef; shoal; submerged rock
A ridge of rocks, coral, or sand at or near the surface of the water, posing a hazard to navigation.
船が礁に乗り上げた。
The ship ran aground on a reef.
この海域には危険な礁が多い。
There are many dangerous reefs in these waters.
干潮になると礁が海面に現れ、潮だまりに小さな魚が見えた。
At low tide, the reef emerged above the water surface, and small fish could be seen in the tide pools.
A standalone noun meaning reef or shoal, most commonly encountered as part of compound words.
COMMON COMPOUNDS:
- 珊瑚礁: coral reef
- 暗礁: hidden reef; figuratively, an unexpected obstacle
- 岩礁: rocky reef
- 環礁: atoll
- 堡礁: barrier reef
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 礁に乗り上げる: to run aground on a reef
- 礁に衝突する: to collide with a reef
- 礁が露出する: a reef to become exposed
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 暗礁: hidden reef — submerged, not visible from the surface; also used figuratively for obstacles
- 浅瀬: shallows, shoal — shallow water area, may not involve rocks
- 岩: rock — a general rock, not specifically in water