Japanese dictionary
How to say "butterfly" in Japanese
ちょうちょう · chō
"Butterfly" in Japanese is ちょう (chō), often written in hiragana. With children, people say ちょうちょ (chōcho).
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Ways to say "butterfly" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| ちょうちょう · chō | Butterfly. |
| ちょうちょちょうちょ · chōcho | Butterfly. Casual; used with children. |
| バタフライばたふらい · batafurai | Butterfly stroke (swimming). |
How to use it
The kanji is 蝶, but it is not in the Jōyō Kanji Table, so hiragana is common.
The butterfly stroke in swimming is バタフライ (batafurai).
Example sentences
- 庭にちょうが飛んでいます。Niwa ni chō ga tonde imasu.A butterfly is flying in the garden.
- 子どもがちょうちょを追いかけています。Kodomo ga chōcho o oikakete imasu.The kids are chasing a butterfly.
- 春になるとちょうをよく見ます。Haru ni naru to chō o yoku mimasu.You see butterflies often in spring.
- きれいなちょうの写真を撮りました。Kirei na chō no shashin o torimashita.I took a photo of a beautiful butterfly.
- 水泳ではバタフライが一番難しいです。Suiei de wa batafurai ga ichiban muzukashii desu.In swimming, the butterfly is the hardest stroke.
- この公園にはちょうがたくさんいます。Kono kōen ni wa chō ga takusan imasu.There are many butterflies in this park.
Questions
Why is ちょう written in hiragana?
The kanji 蝶 is not in the Jōyō Kanji Table, so everyday Japanese often writes the word in hiragana or katakana.
What does ちょうちょ mean?
ちょうちょ (chōcho) is a casual, childlike word for butterfly, like "butterfly" in a children's song.
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