沖

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Spelling: 沖. Reading: おき. Core meaning: offshore; open sea.
• Basic usage: Representative examples: 沖に白い帆船が浮かんでいる / 漁師は夜明け前に沖へ向かった.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Offshore location and direction
  • 沖に marks a location away from shore, while 沖へ marks movement toward the open sea. Its spatial relation contrasts with 岸, the shore.