Translation and Meaning of: 島 - shima

The Japanese word 島[しま] is an essential term for anyone learning the language or interested in Japanese culture. Its primary meaning is "island," but there is much more behind this simple kanji. In this article, we'll explore everything from its origin and writing to everyday use and cultural curiosities. If you want to understand how the Japanese view islands or how to memorize this word effectively, keep reading!

Meaning and writing of 島[しま]

The kanji 島 is composed of two main elements: the radical for "mountain" (山) and the component that suggests "bird" (鳥). This combination is not random – in the past, islands were often associated with mountains in the sea or places where birds landed during migrations. The most common reading is "shima," but in compounds, it can appear as "tou" (as in 無人島 – mujintou – desert island).

In Japan, islands have a special meaning due to the country's geography, made up of an archipelago with more than 6,800 islands. Therefore, 島 is not just a basic vocabulary word, but also a relevant cultural concept. In everyday conversations, it is used for both large islands (like Hokkaido) and small islets.

Use in Japanese expressions and culture

One of the most known expressions with 島 is 島国[しまぐに] (shimaguni), which means "island country" and is often used to refer to Japan itself. Another example is 離島[りとう] (ritou), which indicates remote islands or islands away from the main territory. These terms demonstrate how the word is connected to national identity.

In the media, 島 appears in titles of movies, books, and animes, often representing solitude, adventure, or mystery. A famous case is the anime "One Piece," where islands are central settings for the characters' journey. This use reinforces how the concept of "shima" goes beyond geography, entering the popular imagination.

Tips for memorization and curiosities

For those studying Japanese, a good way to remember 島 is to associate the kanji with a mental image: a mountain (山) surrounded by water, with birds (鳥) flying around. This visualization technique helps to solidify both the meaning and the writing.

A little-known fact is that, in the Okinawan dialect, some islands are called "jima" instead of "shima." This regional variation shows how the Japanese language adapts to different contexts. Moreover, in ancient maps, it was common to see 島 abbreviated as ◯, a symbol that still appears in simplified representations.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 嶋 (shima) - island
• 嶼 (shima) - little island
• 島 (shima) - island
• 島嶼 (shima) - archipelago
• 島国 (shimakuni) - island country
• 島嶼国 (shima-kuni) - country made up of several islands
• 島々 (shima-shima) - various islands

島

Romaji: shima
Kana: しま
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n4

Translation / Meaning: island

Meaning in English: island

Definition: An area of land separated from the mainland and surrounded by the sea.

Example Sentences - (島) shima

See below some example sentences:

韓国は半島の南部に位置しています。

Kankoku wa hantō no nanbu ni ichi shite imasu

South Korea is located in the southern part of the Peninsula.

• 韓国 - It corresponds to the name of the country, written in Japanese (Kanji).
• は - Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 半島 - It means "peninsula", also written in Kanji.
• の - Japanese grammatical particle that indicates possession or a relationship between two things.
• 南部 - It means "southern part", also written in Kanji.
• に - Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the location of something.
• 位置しています - Verb meaning "to be located", conjugated in the present tense and written in hiragana.

九州は美しい島です。

Kyushu wa utsukushii shima desu

Kyushu is a beautiful island.

Kyushu is a beautiful island.

• 九州 - name of the region in southern Japan
• は - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 美しい - adjective meaning "beautiful" or "beautiful"
• 島 - noun meaning "island"
• です - verb to be in the polite form

八つの島が見える。

Yattsu no shima ga mieru

Oito ilhas podem ser vistas.

You can see the eight islands.

• 八つの (yattsu no) - means "eight" in Japanese, indicating the quantity of something
• 島 (shima) - means "island" in Japanese
• が (ga) - subject particle in Japanese, indicating that "eight islands" is the subject of the sentence
• 見える (mieru) - Japanese verb meaning "to be visible" or "to be able to be seen"

日本の領土は四つの主要な島と多くの小さな島々から成り立っています。

Nihon no ryōdo wa yottsu no shuyōna shima to ōku no chīsana shimatō kara narimatte imasu

The territory of Japan consists of four main islands and many small islands.

• 日本の領土 - "territory of Japan"
• 四つの主要な島 - "four main islands"
• と - "and"
• 多くの小さな島々 - "many small islands"
• から成り立っています - "consists of"

沖縄は美しい島です。

Okinawa wa utsukushii shima desu

Okinawa is a beautiful island.

• 沖縄 - Okinawa, name of the region the sentence refers to
• は - Topic marker, indicates that the subject of the sentence is Okinawa.
• 美しい - beautiful
• 島 - island
• です - verb to be in present, indicating that Okinawa is a beautiful island

私は島に住んでいます。

Watashi wa shima ni sunde imasu

I live on an island.

I live on the island.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 島 (shima) - noun meaning "island"
• に (ni) - location particle that indicates where something is
• 住んでいます (sundeimasu) - verb that means "to live" conjugated in the polite present