温泉
Meaning in Englishspa, hot spring
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
温泉 means 'hot spring' — a naturally heated groundwater source and the bathing facilities built around it; in Japan it refers to both the geothermally warmed water itself and the spas, inns, or towns that use that water for bathing, relaxation, and therapeutic purposes.
Main meanings
- 1. A geological feature: a natural spring of warm or hot water emerging from the ground, often with distinctive mineral content.
- 2. A commercial facility: a spa or public bath that uses natural thermal water rather than heated tap water.
- 3. A tourism category: shorthand for an onsen town or resort area marketed for bathing and wellness.
- 4. A labeling term: used on signage and product names to indicate water or products derived from or inspired by hot springs.
How to use it
Found on maps, travel guides, accommodation listings and signage to indicate natural hot-spring facilities; used in both formal contexts (tourism websites, guides, menus of ryokan) and casual conversation when recommending baths or trips; discussions about health, mineral types, bathing etiquette and accommodation amenities commonly invoke the term.
Variants and close terms
- 温泉地 (onsenchi) — hot-spring area or district
- 温泉旅館 (onsen ryokan) — traditional inn with hot-spring baths
- 湯 (yu) — hot water/bath (general term for baths)
- 銭湯 (sento) — public bathhouse (typically uses heated tap water, not natural spring)
Composition
- 温 — means 'warm' or 'mild', indicating heat or warmth.
- 泉 — means 'spring' or 'fountain', indicating a natural water source.
Origin
Communal and medicinal use of geothermal springs in Japan is ancient, with records and local traditions dating back over a millennium; bathing in thermal waters became increasingly institutionalized through the Nara and Heian periods and evolved into commercial onsen towns and ryokan-centered tourism especially from the Edo period onward.
Word class
noun (名詞)