山
mountain
Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
Mountain (base form)
Cultural Context
Etymology
Pictograph depicting three connected mountain peaks.
Symbolism
Nature, sacred, place of training. Deeply rooted in Japanese culture as objects of mountain worship.
Spiritual Meaning
Sacred dwelling place of gods in Shinto. Mountain worship forms the basis of Shugendō; the spirituality of "mountains as sacred grounds" is deeply rooted in Japanese culture.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Aiming for the mountain peak
Games
登山の達人/風来のシレン
Shiren the Wanderer(1995)
Developer: Spike Chunsoft
Roguelike RPG conquering dungeons (mountains).
View on Amazon →Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
海千山千
うみせんやません
cunning and experienced in the ways of the world; crafty and worldly-wise; sly old (fox); cunning and experienced in the ways of the world
山紫水明
さんしすいめい
scenic beauty; scenic beauty
物見遊山
ものみゆさん
going on a pleasure jaunt; going on a pleasure jaunt
深山幽谷
しんざんゆうこく
deep mountain valleys; deep mountain valleys
泰山北斗
たいざんほくと
great authority; eminent person; luminary; great authority
風林火山
ふうりんかざん
as fast as the wind, as quiet as the forest, as daring as fire, and immovable as the mountain; as fast as the wind, as quiet as the forest, as daring as fire, and immovable as the mountain
山川草木
さんせんそうもく
nature; natural scenery; nature
大山鳴動
たいざんめいどう
big fuss over nothing; much cry and little wool; much ado about nothing; big fuss over nothing
千山万水
せんざんばんすい
many mountains and rivers; a great distance to travel; many mountains and rivers
雲雨巫山
うんうふざん
sexual liaison; sexual liaison
高山流水
こうざんりゅうすい
high mountains and running water; the beauty of nature; beautifully (skillfully) played music; high mountains and running water
山容水態
さんようすいたい
scenic beauty of mountains and streams; fresh and clear beauty of nature's splendor; scenic beauty of mountains and streams
屍山血河
しざんけつが
heaps of bodies and streams of blood; fierce battle; heaps of bodies and streams of blood
抜山蓋世
ばつざんがいせい
great strength and energy (of a mighty hero); Herculean strength and vitality; great strength and energy (of a mighty hero)
巫山雲雨
ふざんうんう
sexual liaison; sexual liaison
泰山圧卵
たいざんあつらん
the strong overwhelming the weak; completing various things without difficulty; Mt. Tai crushes an egg; the strong overwhelming the weak
Proverbs & Idioms
山あり谷あり
やまありたにあり
Mountains and valleys
Life has its ups and downs
塵も積もれば山となる
ちりもつもればやまとなる
Even dust piles up to make a mountain
Small efforts accumulate to great results
Poetry
春すぎて 夏来にけらし 白妙の 衣ほすてふ 天の香具山
Poem #2 from Hyakunin Isshu
あしびきの 山鳥の尾の しだり尾の ながながし夜を ひとりかも寝む
Poem #3 from Hyakunin Isshu
奥山に もみぢ踏み分け 鳴く鹿の 声聞く時ぞ 秋は悲しき
Poem #5 from Hyakunin Isshu
天の原 ふりさけ見れば 春日なる 三笠の山に 出でし月かも
Poem #7 from Hyakunin Isshu
わが庵は 都のたつみ しかぞすむ 世をうぢ山と 人はいふなり
Poem #8 from Hyakunin Isshu
立ち別れ いなばの山の 峰に生ふる まつとし聞かば 今帰り来む
Poem #16 from Hyakunin Isshu
吹くからに 秋の草木の しをるれば むべ山風を 嵐といふらむ
Poem #22 from Hyakunin Isshu
このたびは ぬさもとりあへず 手向山 紅葉のにしき 神のまにまに
Poem #24 from Hyakunin Isshu
名にしおはば 逢坂山の さねかづら 人に知られで くるよしもがな
Poem #25 from Hyakunin Isshu
小倉山 峰のもみぢ葉 心あらば 今ひとたびの みゆき待たなむ
Poem #26 from Hyakunin Isshu
山里は 冬ぞさびしさ まさりける 人めも草も かれぬと思へば
Poem #28 from Hyakunin Isshu
山川に 風のかけたる しがらみは 流れもあへぬ 紅葉なりけり
Poem #32 from Hyakunin Isshu
契りきな かたみに袖を しぼりつつ 末の松山 波越さじとは
Poem #42 from Hyakunin Isshu
ありま山 ゐなの笹原 風吹けば いでそよ人を 忘れやはする
Poem #58 from Hyakunin Isshu
大江山 いく野の道の 遠ければ まだふみも見ず 天の橋立
Poem #60 from Hyakunin Isshu
もろともに あはれと思へ 山桜 花よりほかに 知る人もなし
Poem #66 from Hyakunin Isshu
あらし吹く み室の山の もみぢ葉は 竜田の川の 錦なりけり
Poem #69 from Hyakunin Isshu
高砂の をのへの桜 咲きにけり 外山のかすみ 立たずもあらなむ
Poem #73 from Hyakunin Isshu
憂かりける 人を初瀬の 山おろしよ はげしかれとは 祈らぬものを
Poem #74 from Hyakunin Isshu
世の中よ 道こそなけれ 思ひ入る 山の奥にも 鹿ぞ鳴くなる
Poem #83 from Hyakunin Isshu
み吉野の 山の秋風 さ夜ふけて ふるさと寒く 衣うつなり
Poem #94 from Hyakunin Isshu