Japanese

Noun

沼気 ‎(hiragana しょうき, romaji shōki, historical hiragana せうき)

1. marsh gas, swamp gas, methane (naturally occurring)

Usage notes

Although one translation of this term is methane, this refers more specifically to the methane produced from organic matter rotting in a body of water. One would not generally use this term to refer to methane or natural gas as used for cooking or heating.

Related terms

• (methane in general): メタン ‎(metan)
• (natural gas): 天然 (てんねん)ガス ‎(tennen gasu)

References

1. ↑ 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9