Translation and Meaning of: 緯度 - ido

If you have ever studied geography or navigation, you have probably encountered the word 緯度 (いど), which means "latitude" in Japanese. But do you know how this term originated, how it is used in everyday life, or even how to memorize it effectively? In this article, we will explore the etymology, meaning, and origin of this word, as well as practical tips to fix it in your vocabulary. Here at Suki Nihongo, you will also learn the correct writing of the kanji and examples of ready-made sentences to study in Anki or another spaced repetition system.

Latitude is a fundamental concept for understanding geographic coordinates, and in Japanese, 緯度 carries interesting nuances. If you've ever tried to translate "latitude" into Japanese and were unsure about how to use this word in real contexts, keep reading. Let's unravel everything from the pictogram to curiosities that make this term easier to .

Etymology and Origin of the Kanji 緯度

The word 緯度 is composed of two kanjis: 緯 (い) and 度 (ど). The first, 緯, represents the concept of "horizontal" or "web" (as in weaving), while 度 means "degree" or "measure". Together, they form the idea of "horizontal measure", which is exactly what latitude represents — the imaginary lines that cut the Earth parallel to the Equator.

It is interesting to note that the kanji 緯 also appears in words like 緯糸 (よこいと), which means "weft thread" in weaving. This connection with fabrics is not a coincidence: in the past, the Japanese associated the horizontal lines of a fabric with the imaginary lines of the Earth. Who would have thought that navigation and craftsmanship would have something in common, right?

Practical Use and Common Contexts

In daily life, 緯度 often appears in academic, meteorological, and navigation contexts. If you are reading an article about climate change in Japanese, for example, you are likely to encounter sentences such as 「この地域の緯度は35度です」 ("The latitude of this region is 35 degrees"). Another common use is in GPS applications, where the accuracy of coordinates directly depends on latitude and longitude.

An interesting fact is that the Japanese usually use 緯度 along with 経度 (けいど) (longitude) to provide exact locations. If you have used Google Maps in Japan, you may have noticed that the coordinates appear in this format. By the way, it's worth practicing reading numbers in Japanese so you don't get confused when deciphering this data!

Tips for Memorizing and Curiosities

An effective way to 緯度 is to associate the kanji 緯 with something horizontal. Think of a "stretched thread" (ing its origin in weaving) cutting through the Earth. On the other hand, 度 appears in various words related to measurements, such as 温度 (おんど) (temperature) or 角度 (かくど) (angle), which helps create mental connections.

For those who like puns, an informal technique is to that いど sounds like "what's up, does it hurt?", imagining that if you get the latitude wrong in the middle of the ocean, the situation could really hurt! Jokes aside, this type of association helps to the pronunciation. And if you are studying for the JLPT, know that this term often appears in map and graph interpretation questions — so it's worth mastering it!

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 緯度 (ido) - Latitude
• 緯線 (isen) - Parallel (line of latitude)
• 緯度数 (idosu) - Number of degrees of latitude
• 緯度角 (idokaku) - Latitude angle
• 北緯 (hokuido) - Northern latitude
• 南緯 (nanido) - Southern latitude