Meaning
Woods; forest
A group of trees, smaller than a 森 (もり) ... ➡️
- 林 — woods; grove
- 森林 — forest
- 林道 — forest road
- 林業 — forestry
- 山林 — mountain forest
- 林立 — standing close together like a forest
- 竹林 — bamboo grove
The kanji “林” is formed by placing two 木 (tree) characters together, emphasizing the idea of a collection of trees. It’s closely related to 森 (forest), which triples the 木 symbol. While 森 implies a deeper forest, 林 often refers to lighter wooded areas or groves.
林で 鳥の 声が 聞こえます。
You can hear birdsong in the woods.
山林は 自然の 宝です。
Mountain forests are treasures of nature.