プール
ぷーる
puuru
= swimming pool
プール (puuru) is the Japanese word for swimming pool — borrowed from English — and it occupies a specific and nostalgic place in Japanese school culture, where the school pool (学校のプール) marks the arrival of summer as much as any other seasonal symbol.
Puuru comes from the English word ‘pool’ and refers specifically to a swimming pool (as opposed to a natural body of water). It appears in compound terms: 学校のプール (gakkou no puuru — school pool), 市民プール (shimin puuru — public pool), and プールサイド (puuru saido — poolside). The word can also be used metaphorically in business contexts, borrowed from English: タレントプール (tarento puuru — talent pool), リソースプール (risoosu puuru — resource pool).
Puuru specifically means a built swimming pool, not a natural pond or lake. For a natural pool of water, use 池 (ike — pond) or 水たまり (mizutamari — puddle/rain pool). プールに入る (puuru ni hairu — to get in the pool) and プールで泳ぐ (puuru de oyogu — to swim in the pool) are the standard verb phrases.
Everyday use
夏になると、子どもたちはプールで遊ぶのが大好きだ。
Natsu ni naru to, kodomotachi wa puuru de asobu no ga daisuki da.
When summer comes, kids love playing in the pool.
Casual / Social Media
今日プール初日！日焼けしすぎた笑
Kyou puuru shonichi! Hiyake shi sugita w
First day at the pool today! Got way too much sun lol
Formal / Cultural context
日本の公立学校のほとんどに屋外プールが設置されており、水泳は小学校の体育の必修科目となっている。
Nihon no kouritsu gakkou no hotondo ni okugai puuru ga setchi sarete ori, suiei wa shougakkou no taiiku no hisshuu kamoku to natte iru.
Most Japanese public schools have outdoor pools, and swimming is a compulsory subject in elementary school physical education.
The school swimming pool (学校のプール) is a powerful symbol of Japanese summer in popular culture. Elementary schools across Japan maintain outdoor pools that open for a few weeks during the July–August heat. Swimming class (水泳の授業, suiei no jugyou) is mandatory, and the image of children nervously lining up at the pool’s edge before jumping in is a recognizable scene in manga, anime, and films set in school.
Public pools (市民プール, shimin puuru) are widespread in Japan and extremely affordable — often costing just a few hundred yen for a day’s swim. They are a key part of summer recreation, particularly for families and children. Some large recreation centers have indoor pools that operate year-round. The seasonal association of the pool with summer vacation and childhood is so strong that the word プール alone evokes a specific kind of nostalgic memory for most Japanese adults.
Disclosure: This site may contain affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.