溶岩（ようがん、yougan）
- lava

The Japanese word 溶岩 溶岩 refers to lava, which is molten rock erupted from a volcano. ⚫︎ It is the same material as magma (molten rock beneath the Earth's surface), but the term 溶岩 溶岩 is specifically used for magma that has reached the Earth's surface. ⚫︎ As 溶岩 溶岩 cools, it solidifies into various types of volcanic rock.

⚫︎ 富士山の噴火で、大量の 溶岩 が流れ出た。 Translation: A large amount of lava flowed out during the eruption of Mount Fuji. ⚫︎ ハワイの火山は、赤く輝く 溶岩 が特徴的です。 Translation: The volcanoes in Hawaii are characterized by glowing red lava. ⚫︎ 溶岩 の上を歩くのは危険です。 Translation: Walking on lava is dangerous.

⚫︎ This word is used when discussing volcanic activity, geological formations, or the aftermath of volcanic eruptions. ⚫︎ It’s a relatively technical term, but it is common to hear it when discussing news reports about volcanoes. ⚫︎ You can use this word in discussions about the natural sciences or the power of nature.

⚫︎ The word is written using the kanji 溶岩. ⚫︎ The reading is ようがん in hiragana. ⚫︎ The kanji 溶 means "to melt" or "to dissolve", and 岩 means "rock". ⚫︎ There are no variations in okurigana.

⚫︎ While there aren't direct synonyms, you might use related terms depending on the context: ⚫︎ マグマ (magma) - molten rock beneath the Earth's surface. ⚫︎ 火山 (kazan) - volcano. ⚫︎ 噴火 (funka) - eruption. ⚫︎ 火口 (kako) - crater.

⚫︎ There isn't a direct antonym. However, you could consider the solid rock formed from cooled lava as an opposite state.

その 溶岩 流は、村の近くまで到達した。 ・Translation: That lava flow reached close to the village. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the movement and potential threat of a lava flow.

地球内部の高温で岩石が溶けて 溶岩 になる。 ・Translation: Rocks melt into lava due to the high temperatures inside the Earth. ・Explanation: This explains the formation process of lava.

The word 溶岩 溶岩 is a compound word: ⚫︎ 溶 (you) comes from the verb 溶ける (tokeru), meaning "to melt" or "to dissolve." ⚫︎ 岩 (gan) means "rock." ⚫︎ Therefore, 溶岩 溶岩 literally means "melted rock."