Meaning

Primary

Lava

Word Type

noun

Explanation

It can melt a boulder? What is this stuff that's so hot? It's lava. It's also probably made from melted boulders too, come to think of it.

Reading

ようがん
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

This jukugo word uses on'yomi readings. You learned the kun'yomi with 岩 though, so here's a mnemonic for its がん on'yomi reading:

As you gaze into some lava, you see a figure arise from it… It's Gandhi (がん)! What's Gandhi doing in this pool of lava? You don't know, but he sure looks badass. It's hard to imagine a cooler sight than the legendary Mahatma Gandhi bursting out of a lava pool like some kind of flame elemental.

Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 溶岩が流れる

    lava flows

    溶岩が固まる

    lava solidifies

    溶岩が吹き出す

    lava spews out

Context Sentences

火山が溶岩を吹き出していて危険なので、これ以上近づくことはできません。

We can't go any closer because the volcano is spewing out lava and it's dangerous.

ハワイでは、真っ赤な溶岩が流れ出る様子を見ることもできますよ。

In Hawaii, you can even watch bright red lava flowing.

地表の下にある時は「マグマ」、それが地表に流れ出ると「溶岩」なんだって。

It's apparently called "magma" while beneath the Earth's surface, but once it flows out onto the surface, it becomes "lava."

溶岩浴は岩盤浴と似てて、温かい溶岩石の床に寝転んで楽しむんです。

A lava rock bath is similar to a hot stone bath. You enjoy it by lying down on a floor made of warm lava rocks.

Kanji Composition