潟

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The spelling is 潟, read かた, and it is a noun for a shallow tidal flat or a lagoon connected to the sea.
• Basic usage: 潟 means a tidal flat or, depending on landform and water flow, a lagoon linked to the sea by a narrow channel.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A flat exposed at low tide and a lagoon connected by water
  • Both examples use the form 潟. The first is a tidal flat attracting birds at low tide; the second is a lagoon connected to the sea by a narrow channel and surveyed by boat.
• Birds gathering at low tide and a channel-linked survey area
  • 干潮になると潟に多くの鳥が集まります。 — Many birds gather on the tidal flats at low tide.
  • 海と細い水路でつながる潟を舟で調査しました。 — We surveyed a lagoon connected to the sea by a narrow channel.