はま
Alternative readings: ハマ
JLPT:N1
Frequency:
1

A stretch of shore by the sea; a beach or seashore.

Noun

Examples

夏は家族で近くの浜へ海水浴に行く。

In summer we go to the nearby beach with the family to swim.

夕暮れ時、浜を散歩しながら潮の香りを感じた。

At dusk I walked along the shore and smelled the sea breeze.

この町の浜は遠浅で子ども連れに人気だ。

The town's beach has a gentle slope and is popular with families with children.

浜に打ち上げられた貝殻を集めるのが好きだ。

I like collecting shells washed up on the beach.

2

In the game of go, an informal term (often written in kana) for captured stones (pieces).

NounGo (Game)AbbreviationUsually Kana

Examples

あの打ち方で相手のはまを増やして勝った。

With that play I increased the opponent's captured stones and won.

はまを数えてみたら思ったより多かった。

When I counted the captured stones, there were more than I thought.

3

A colloquial abbreviation for Yokohama (often written in katakana as ハマ).

NounAbbreviation

Examples

彼はハマ出身なので、横浜弁が少し残っている。

He's from Yokohama, so he still has a bit of the Yokohama dialect.

今度の週末はハマで野球の試合を見に行く予定だ。

This weekend I'm planning to go to Yokohama to watch a baseball game.

ハマの名物ラーメンを食べてみたい。

I want to try Yokohama's specialty ramen.

4

An archaic (Osaka-dialect) term for a riverbank; riverside. Mostly found in dialects or older usage.

NounArchaic

Examples

昔、この浜で洗濯をしていたと祖母が話してくれた(大阪弁の古い用法)。

My grandmother told me she used to wash clothes down by the riverside (an old Osaka usage).

Word Relationships