水泳

すいえい

swimming

JLPT N4

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"水泳" (すいえい) means "swimming" in Japanese. It refers to the sport or activity of swimming, whether for exercise, competition, or leisure.

Common Contexts

You will often hear "水泳" in contexts related to sports, school activities, or health routines. For example, students might have "水泳の授業" (swimming classes) or athletes might train for "水泳大会" (swimming competitions).

Collocations and Patterns

  • 水泳の練習 (すいえいのれんしゅう): swimming practice
  • 水泳大会 (すいえいたいかい): swimming competition
  • 水泳教室 (すいえいきょうしつ): swimming class
  • 水泳が得意 (すいえいがとくい): good at swimming

These collocations are common in everyday conversation and written Japanese.

Register and Politeness

"水泳" is a neutral noun and can be used in both casual and formal contexts. It is often combined with verbs like "する" (to do) to express the action of swimming.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "水泳" with "泳ぐ" (およぐ), which is the verb "to swim." Remember, "水泳" is a noun referring to the activity or sport, while "泳ぐ" is the action verb. For example:

  • 水泳をする (to do swimming)
  • 泳ぐ (to swim)

Understanding this distinction will help you use the word correctly in sentences.

Example Sentences

なつやすみにプールですいえいのれんしゅうをしました。

I practiced swimming in the pool during summer vacation.

かれはすいえいがとくいで、よくたいかいにでます。

He is good at swimming and often participates in competitions.

けんこうのためにまいしゅうすいえいをしています。

I swim every week for my health.