Nuance for 沼沢、泥沼、沼地、沼、沼田


What is the main difference between these 5 vocab words? I understand they all
equate to something like a marsh or swamp, but do they hold any specific
differences like marsh/swamp/bog do in English? (Admittedly I had to look up
the differences, but they do exist.) I know [沼田]{ぬまた} refers to a rice field
of some kind, but how does it differ from any other rice field?




Japanese is unparticular about those wetland terrains. Some words actually
have formal definitions, only they are contradicting each other across fields
on translations like
[this](https://jglobal.jst.go.jp/detail?JGLOBAL_ID=200906068946379794), proven
to be not very useful either.

  * **沼【ぬま】**

The most basic word referring to _marsh_ or _swamp_ (I guess they are most
general terms in English). [The
dictionary](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/169397/meaning/m0u/%E6%B2%BC/)
says "water shallower than _lake_ (湖) whose depth is under 5 meter". The word
is so strongly associated with the image of _muddy pool_ , that where clear
water is seen, such as [Oze](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozegahara), are
usually called 湿地 "wetland" or 湿原 "moor(?)" instead of 沼.

In the figurative language, 沼 often carries the similar connotation to those
of English _swamp, morass,_ or _mire_ , that means "inescapable difficult
situation". It particularly has a sense as internet slang to mean "addiction"
or "easily addictive subject". FWIW I've heard of オーディオ沼 or レンズ沼.

> 沼にはまる _get stuck in the swamp_

  * **沼地【ぬまち】**

沼 and 沼地 is just like _swamp_ and _swamp **land**_. 沼 itself refers to the
"pool" (where the ground is under water) but 沼地 the terrain generally consists
of 沼 but maybe not entirely.

  * **泥沼【どろぬま】**

The word is mostly figurative than indicating the actual _bog_ (泥炭地). Compared
with 沼, which suggests personal predicament caused by a vicious cycle, it is
rather likely to depict the situation many factors entangled to make everyone
stagnant, such as the quagmire of the Vietnam war.

  * **沼沢【しょうたく】**

This is a mostly academic blanket term generally referring to shallow wetland.
[The dictionary
definition](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/109298/meaning/m0u/) is "water
shallower than 沼 whose depth is under 1 meter". Also read ぬまざわ or ぬまさわ for
proper names.

  * **沼田【ぬまた】**

Literally should be "swamp patty" or something but I don't really think it's
used outside proper names.

