蝶
chō[t͡ɕo̞ː]
The Japanese word for butterfly is 蝶, pronounced chō. Wiktionary also lists 胡蝶 (kochō) and 蝶々 (chōchō).
Meaning: insect (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 蝶 | chō | [t͡ɕo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 胡蝶 | kochō | [ko̞t͡ɕo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 蝶々 | chōchō | [t͡ɕo̞ːt͡ɕo̞ː] (narrow) [t͡ɕo̞ːt͡ɕo̞] (narrow) |
All forms of the word refer to the insect butterfly.
Which one should you use?
While 蝶 (chō) is the root form, it is rarely used alone in spoken Japanese unless it is part of a larger compound word. 蝶々 (chōchō) is the most common way to refer to a butterfly in casual, everyday conversation, often sounding more friendly or child-like. In contrast, 胡蝶 (kochō) is a more literary or formal term used in poetry, classical literature or scientific contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The single kanji 蝶 (chō) acts as the root, but in spoken language, speakers typically use the reduplicated form 蝶々 (chōchō) instead of the single syllable.
How do you pronounce it?
chō
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, butterflies are often seen as symbols of the soul or messengers from the afterlife, making 蝶 a common motif in funeral art and ghost stories.
- The term 胡蝶 (kochō) contains the character 胡, which was historically used in Japan to refer to people or things from foreign lands, particularly the West or Central Asia.
- The formal term 胡蝶 is used in the Japanese translation of the 'Butterfly Dream' by Zhuangzi, a famous philosophical story about questioning whether one is a human dreaming of being a butterfly.
Examples in context
- 見て、蝶々！Look, a butterfly!This sentence is useful for practicing how to point out a butterfly using 蝶々.Tatoeba #9848202 by small_snow, translation #5278930 by phoonaz
- 蝶々を見た。I saw a butterfly.This sentence shows how to use 蝶々 when describing an action in the past.Tatoeba #13592105 by small_snow, translation #13592101 by araneo
- あ！蝶々がいる！Oh, there's a butterfly!This sentence demonstrates an exclamation involving 蝶々.Tatoeba #4753 by bunbuku, translation #1328 by brauliobezerra
- Watashi wa chō ga suki desu. (私は蝶が好きです)I like butterflies.
- Kono chō wa utsukushii desu. (この蝶は美しいです)This butterfly is beautiful.
- Ano chōchō wa totemo kirei da ne. (あの蝶々はとてもきれいだね)That butterfly is very beautiful, isn't it?
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are walking through a garden.
- 結衣 Yuiあ、きれいな蝶が飛んでいるよ。A, kireina chō ga tonde iru yo.Oh, a beautiful butterfly is flying.
- 健太 Kenta本当だ。どこへ行くのかな。Hontō da. Doko e iku no kana.You're right. I wonder where it's going.
- 結衣 Yuiあのお花に止まったね。Ano ohana ni tomatta ne.It landed on that flower.
- 健太 Kenta色の組み合わせがすごく素敵だね。Iro no kumiawase ga sugoku suteki da ne.The combination of colors is really lovely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “butterfly” translations and entries 蝶, 胡蝶, 蝶々, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
