Explore 岩 in words for rocks and lava. Connect each reading to a whole word and its context.

The idea

岩 has 8 strokes. Follow the linked stroke diagram. 岩 is いわ as a word; in 岩石（がんせき） and 溶岩（ようがん） it is read がん. Learn each compound as a whole.

Patterns to compare
WordReadingIn context
岩いわA large boulder is blocking the road.
岩石がんせきThis rock is very hard.
溶岩ようがんLava flowed from the volcano.

Examples

  • 大きな岩いわが道みちをふさいでいます。A large boulder is blocking the road.
  • 海うみの岩いわに鳥とりが止とまっています。A bird is perched on a rock by the sea.
  • 子こどもたちは岩いわの上うえに登のぼりました。The children climbed onto the rock.
  • この岩石がんせきはとても硬かたいです。This rock is very hard.
  • 火山かざんから溶岩ようがんが流ながれました。Lava flowed from the volcano.
  • 崖がけから落おちた岩いわを見みました。I saw a rock that had fallen from the cliff.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

岩 usually refers to a large rock or rock formation; 石（いし） can refer to a stone. Do not assume 岩 always reads いわ: compounds often use がん.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 岩 in hiragana.

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    いわ

    岩 alone is いわ, as in the boulder blocking the road.

  2. Write the reading of 岩石 in hiragana.

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    がんせき

    岩石 is がんせき: 岩 has the reading がん in this compound.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 溶＿（ようがん）［岩／石］.

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    岩

    岩 completes 溶岩（ようがん）, meaning lava.

Use it today

Write 岩 using the stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 岩石 and 溶岩, then make a sentence with one word.