What does 湖 mean in Japanese?
湖 means “lake” in Japanese. You will often see it in practical words such as 湖 (lake), 湖水 (lake water), and 湖畔 (lakeside).
For learners, the key is to study 湖 through real vocabulary. The examples below show how the kanji works in words, sentences, and related kanji.
Reading
On’yomi: コ (ko)
Kun’yomi: みずうみ (mizuumi)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 湖 |
|---|
How to Understand This Kanji
湖 is not limited to one English translation. In 湖 (みずうみ), it means lake; in 湖水 (こすい), it points to lake water; and in 湖畔 (こはん), it is used for lakeside. Reading these compounds side by side helps you understand the range of the kanji.
Common Words
- 湖（みずうみ / mizūmi） — lake
- 湖水（こすい / kosui） — lake water
- 湖畔（こはん / kohan） — lakeside
- 琵琶湖（びわこ / biwako） — Lake Biwa
- 湖面（こめん / komen） — lake surface
- 湖岸（こがん / kogan） — lake shore
Example Sentences
-
湖の近くを散歩しました。
みずうみのちかくをさんぽしました。 / Mizuumi no chikaku o sanpo shimashita.
I took a walk near the lake.
-
湖水が朝日に光っています。
こすいがあさひにひかっています。 / Kosui ga asahi ni hikatte imasu.
The lake water shines in the morning sun.
-
大きな湖畔のホテルに泊まりました。
おおきなこはんのほてるにとまりました。 / Ōkina kohan no hoteru ni tomarimashita.
I stayed at a hotel on the shore of a large lake.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Start with 湖 (みずうみ / mizūmi) because it keeps the core meaning of 湖 clear. Then add 湖水 and 湖畔 to see how the reading and meaning shift in real vocabulary. Do not memorize 湖 as a single English word; connect it to actual words and example sentences.
Summary
湖 means “lake” and appears in useful Japanese words such as 湖, 湖水, and 湖畔.