Japanese symbol for “coast”
沿岸
えんがん
Romaji: engan
coast; shore
In Japanese, coast is 沿岸, read えんがん (engan).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n coast; shore
- n coastal waters; inshore waters; coastal area
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “coast”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 海岸 | かいがん kaigan | seashore; coast; seaside |
| 岸 | きし kishi | bank; coast; shore |
| 海辺 | うみべ umibe | beach; seashore; seaside |
| 地方 | じかた jikata | coast (esp. as seen from the water); shore |
| コースト | コースト koosuto | coast |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 沿い | ぞい zoi | along (a river, coast, railway, etc.); on (e.g. a street) |
| 沿線 | えんせん ensen | places alongside a railway line, bus route, major thoroughfare, etc. |
| 沿う | そう sou | to run along; to run beside; to stick to (a line) |
| 沿道 | えんどう endou | roadside; wayside; route |
| 沿革 | えんかく enkaku | history; development |
| 海岸 | かいがん kaigan | seashore; coast; seaside |
| 湾岸 | わんがん wangan | gulf coast; bay coast |
| 彼岸 | ひがん higan | equinoctial week (when Buddhist services are held) |
See also: Chinese symbol for “coast”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.