南 極 圏(なんきょくけん)

なんきょくけん

noun

Antarctic Circle; Antarctic region

1. Antarctic Circle; the Antarctic zone

The latitude line at about 66.5 degrees south, and by extension the region south of it where the sun stays up or down for a full day at the solstices.

南極圏(なんきょくけん)は寒(さむ)さが厳(きび)しい。

The cold in the Antarctic region is severe.

船(ふね)は南極圏(なんきょくけん)に入(はい)った。

The ship entered the Antarctic Circle.

南極圏(なんきょくけん)では夏(なつ)に太陽(たいよう)が沈(しず)まない日(ひ)が続(つづ)くことがある。

In the Antarctic Circle there can be a run of days in summer when the sun does not set.

南極(なんきょく) (South Pole, Antarctic) + 圏(けん) (sphere, zone). The 圏(けん) suffix marks a bounded area and appears in many geographic and social terms.

Common collocations

南極圏(なんきょくけん)に入(はい)る: to enter the Antarctic Circle
南極圏(なんきょくけん)の気候(きこう): the climate of the Antarctic region
南極圏(なんきょくけん)を越(こ)える: to cross the Antarctic Circle

Similar words

北極圏(ほっきょくけん): Arctic Circle — the matching term in the north
南極大陸(なんきょくたいりく): the Antarctic continent — the landmass itself, not the latitude zone

Related Words

Compare: 北極圏(ほっきょくけん) (Arctic Circle)

Compare: 南極大陸 (the Antarctic continent)

Related: 寒帯(かんたい) (frigid zone, polar region)

general

Added 2026.7.27 12:18 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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