estuary
河口
解説 Definition
川が海や大きな湖に流れ込む最下流の部分を指します。淡水と塩水が混ざる水域です。
An estuary is the wide mouth of a river where the river meets the sea. It is a natural area where fresh water and salt water mix, and it is often important for wildlife and fishing.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
estuary は単独で覚えるより、"river meets the sea" の場面で固定すると残りやすい語です。川の終点で、淡水と海水が混ざる水域を指す、とセットで思い出してください。地形の delta が「土砂が作る三角州」寄りなのに対し、estuary は「水の混ざる河口域」。polluted estuary、estuary ecosystem のように環境・生態系の話題でよく出ます。語尾の -ary は「場所・まとまり」を表す語にも見られるので、場所名っぽい名詞として押さえると記憶しやすいです。
Do not memorize this word alone; attach it to the picture `river meets the sea`. That scene will help the word stay in your memory better than a dry geography label. It is also useful to contrast it with `delta`: a delta is about land and mud, while an `estuary` is about the meeting area of waters.
例文
The estuary is where the river meets the ocean.
河口は川が海に注ぎ込む場所です。
Many fish species breed in the estuary.
多くの魚種は河口で繁殖します。
The estuary provides a unique ecosystem for wildlife.
河口は野生動物にとって独特な生態系を提供します。
estuary の類義語・関連語
estuary の語源・成り立ち Etymology
estuary はラテン語 aestuarium「潮の満ち引きする入江」から来ており、語幹 aestus は「熱、沸き立ち、潮」を表します。海水がうねり入り川と交わる場所だから「河口」になったわけです。関連語 estuarine にも同じ語源感覚が残っています。
"Estuary" comes from Latin "aestuarium," meaning a tidal inlet. Its root is "aestus," which could mean "heat," "surging," or "tide." The word came to name the place where the sea moves in and mixes with a river, keeping that image of swelling water. A related word is "estuarine."
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