山脈

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 山脈 is read as さんみゃく and is a noun for a long, connected chain of mountains and peaks.
• Basic usage: Appearance is described in 雪の山脈, while orientation is expressed in 山脈が南北に延びる.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Difference from 山 and 山地
  • 山 is an individual mountain, 山脈 is a connected range, and 山地 can denote a broader mountainous area.
• Expressing direction
  • The direction in which a range extends takes に, as in 南北に延びる.