Meaning

Primary

Vertical

Alternatives

Perpendicular, Upright

Word Type

な adjective, の adjective, noun

Explanation

Something droops straight down, making it perfectly vertical. If we wanted to get fancy, we could even say it's perpendicular to the floor.

垂直 is a formal, precise word meaning vertical — perfectly up-and-down, at a 90-degree angle to the ground or another surface. You'll hear it in math, science, construction, or any situation where exact orientation matters, like 垂直の線 (a vertical line).

Reading

すいちょく
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

This is a jukugo word that uses the on'yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own.

Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 垂直方向

    vertical direction

    垂直ジャンプ

    vertical jump

    垂直落下

    vertical drop

Context Sentences

スマホが垂直に立っていてびっくりした。

I was surprised to see my smartphone standing perfectly upright.

この線は地面に対して垂直に引かれている。

This line is drawn perpendicular to the ground.

ボールは垂直に近い角度で落ちていきました。

The ball fell at an almost vertical angle.

Kanji Composition