How to say “earthquake” in Japanese | 地震 (じしん、jishin)

The Japanese vocabulary「地震 (じしん、jishin)」means “earthquake.” Please learn the pronunciation and the example sentences.

Japanese Vocabulary and the Meaning

Key Word地震
Hiraganaじしん
Romaji Readingjishin
English Meaningearthquake

The Correct Japanese Pronunciations

Please learn the pronunciation by watching the attached video. You can also learn example sentences.

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The Example Japanese Sentences

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※We try to align our English translations as much as possible with Japanese grammar.

Just as I walked into a convenience store, an earthquake struck.

Plain Form:

コンビニにはいったら地震じしんた。
Konbini ni haittara jishin ga kita.

Polite Form:

コンビニに入ったら地震が来ました。
Konbini ni haittara jishin ga kimashita.


There was a big earthquake last night.

Plain Form:

昨夜さくやおおきな地震じしんがあった。
Sakuya, ōkina jishin ga atta.

Polite Form:

昨夜、大きな地震がありました。
Sakuya, ōkina jishin ga arimashita.


I evacuated immediately after seeing the earthquake early warning.

Plain Form:

地震じしん速報そくほうてすぐに避難ひなんした。
Furamingo ga kataashi de tatte iru.

Polite Form:

地震速報を見てすぐに避難しました。
Jishin sokuhō o mite sugu ni hinan shimashita.


The shelf fell over in the earthquake.

Plain Form:

地震じしんたなたおれた。
Jishin de tana ga taoreta.

Polite Form:

地震で棚が倒れました。
Jishin de tana ga taoremashita.


The trains stopped due to the earthquake.

Plain Form:

地震じしん影響えいきょう電車でんしゃまった。
Jishin no eikyō de densha ga tomatta.

Polite Form:

地震の影響で電車が止まりましたた。
Jishin no eikyō de densha ga tomarimashitata.


There is no need to worry about a tsunami caused by the earthquake.

Plain Form:

地震じしんによる津波つなみ心配しんぱいはない。
Jishin ni yoru tsunami no shinpai wa nai.

Polite Form:

地震による津波の心配はありません。
Jishin ni yoru tsunami no shinpai wa arimasen.


The road split open due to the earthquake

Plain Form:

地震じしん道路どうろおおきくけた。
Jishin de dōro ga ōkiku saketa.

Polite Form:

地震で道路が大きく裂けました。
Jishin de dōro ga ōkiku sakemashita.

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