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Glite Dictionary
Japanese Archipelago

Japanese Archipelago

5.1
A group of over three thousand islands off the east coast of Asia that make up Japan
  • noun
  • /ˌdʒæpəˈniːz ˌɑːrkɪˈpɛləɡoʊ/
translation icon : archipiélago japonés
  • The Japanese Archipelago consists of four main islands.

Examples

  • Earthquakes are common throughout the Japanese Archipelago due to its location on tectonic plate boundaries.

  • The climate varies widely across the Japanese Archipelago, from subarctic in the north to subtropical in the south.

  • The Japanese Archipelago stretches over 1,300 miles, separating the Sea of Japan from the Pacific Ocean.

  • Did you know that the Japanese Archipelago has over 3,000 islands?

  • The Japanese Archipelago is made up of more than 6,800 islands, including Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku.

  • Many tourists visit the Japanese Archipelago to experience its beautiful landscapes and unique culture.

  • The Japanese Archipelago extends from the Sea of Japan in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east.

Synonyms

Japan
vsJapanese Archipelago
725 1.0

A country in East Asia made of many islands known for its culture and technology

is the geographic group of islands rather than the political nation
Japanese Islands
vsJapanese Archipelago
2.5

A group of more than 3,000 islands east of Asia that make up Japan

uses a different formal name for the same island group

Surface Forms

Japanese Archipelago singular
Japanese Archipelagos plural

Morphology

Japanese + archipelago

The meaning 'a group of islands forming Japan' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'Japanese' (of or relating to Japan) with 'archipelago' (a cluster of islands). This is a literal, compositional phrase found cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The name Japanese Archipelago paints a picture of many islands like a string of beads on the sea: Japanese shows the country and archipelago means 'group of islands', so it refers to the chain of islands that make up Japan.