1.
meridian; line of longitude
An imaginary line running from the North Pole to the South Pole on the Earth's surface, used to measure longitude. The prime meridian passes through Greenwich, England.
日本は東経135度の子午線が通っている。
The 135-degree east meridian passes through Japan.
本初子午線はグリニッジを通る。
The prime meridian passes through Greenwich.
明石市は日本標準時子午線の町として知られている。
Akashi is known as the city of the Japan Standard Time meridian.
Composed of 子 (rat, north) + 午 (horse, south) + 線 (line). The name comes from the Chinese zodiac directional system where 子 represents north and 午 represents south, so a 子午線 is literally a north-south line.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 本初子午線: prime meridian (0 degrees longitude)
- 日本標準時子午線: Japan Standard Time meridian (135 degrees east)
- 子午線が通る: a meridian passes through
CULTURAL NOTE:
明石市 in 兵庫県 is famous as the location where the 135th east meridian passes, which defines Japan Standard Time (JST). The city has a 子午線 monument and a science museum dedicated to time.
RELATED TERMS:
- 経線: line of longitude -- more technical synonym
- 緯線: line of latitude -- runs east-west
- 赤道: equator