Translation guide
A man-made waterway for boats or irrigation. In Japanese, the most common word is 運河 (unga), but other terms exist depending on context.
A man-made channel for boats and ships, often connecting two bodies of water.
The standard word for a navigation canal. Used for famous canals like the Panama Canal.
パナマ運河は太平洋と大西洋をつないでいます。
The Panama Canal connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
A general term for waterway or channel, can include canals but also natural or artificial channels. Often used in technical contexts.
この水路は船が通れるように作られました。
This waterway was built so that boats could pass through.
A small man-made channel for carrying water to fields or draining water.
Specifically an irrigation canal or ditch. Common in agricultural contexts.
田んぼに水を引くために用水路が作られました。
An irrigation canal was built to bring water to the rice paddies.
A drainage canal or ditch, used to carry away excess water.
A ditch or gutter, often smaller and less formal than a canal. Can be used for drainage or sewage.
道の端に溝があるから気をつけて。
There's a ditch at the side of the road, so be careful.
A tubular passage in the body, such as the ear canal or birth canal.
Means 'tube' or 'duct' and is used in medical terms for canals in the body.
外耳道は耳の穴から鼓膜までの管です。
The ear canal is the tube from the ear opening to the eardrum.
Used in compound words like 産道 (birth canal).
赤ちゃんは産道を通って生まれてきます。
The baby is born through the birth canal.
The English loanword カナル (kanaru) is not commonly used in Japanese. Stick to the native terms above.
大雨の後、排水路が溢れそうになった。
After the heavy rain, the drainage canal almost overflowed.