• 沖おき — offshore, open sea
• 沖縄おきなわ — Okinawa
• 沖合おきあい — offshore waters
• 沖天ちゅうてん — soaring into the sky

沖 combines the water radical 氵 with the phonetic element 中 (ちゅう), suggesting a central or distant place across water. Originally, it indicated the open water beyond the shore — a concept that appears in terms like 沖合 or 沖縄.

船ふねは 沖おきへ出でて行いきました。
The boat sailed out to the open sea.

沖縄おきなわは 美うつくしい海うみで有名ゆうめいです。
Okinawa is famous for its beautiful ocean.

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