コオロギ
kōrogi
The English word cricket is translated into Japanese as コオロギ (kōrogi).
Meaning: game (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
kōrogi
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse the insect 'cricket' with the sport 'cricket' when translating, but in Japanese, the sport is called 'kuriketto' (クリケット).
Did you know?
- Historically, some people in Japan kept コオロギ in cages to listen to their songs during the autumn months, similar to keeping canaries.
- There is a Japanese tradition of 'insect fighting' with different species, though コオロギ are prized more for their voices than their strength.
- The word コオロギ is part of a wider category of words in Japanese used to describe insect sounds, where specific species are identified solely by their unique 'song' patterns.
Examples in context
- それはコオロギじゃない。バッタだ。That's not a cricket. It's a grasshopper.This example shows how to distinguish a コオロギ from a grasshopper.Tatoeba #10906872 by SomeHungryBois, translation #10424339 by CK
- 昨日の夜、庭でコオロギが鳴いていたよ。秋が近付いてきてるんだね。Last night I heard a cricket chirping in the garden. Autumn is approaching, isn't it?This example illustrates the sound of a コオロギ chirping and its association with the approach of autumn.Tatoeba #1053434 by bunbuku, translation #2609742 by WestofEden
Example conversation
Hiroto and Yui are walking in the park at night.
- 大翔 Hirotoねえ、結衣、どこからかコオロギが鳴いているよ。Nē, Yui, doko kara ka kōrogi ga naite iru yo.Hey, Yui, I can hear a cricket chirping from somewhere.
- 結衣 Yui本当だね。秋らしくていい雰囲気だね。Hontō da ne. Akirashikute ii fun'iki da ne.You're right. It has a nice autumn feel to it.
- 大翔 Hiroto小さいけど、一生懸命鳴いているね。Chiisai kedo, isshōkenmei naite iru ne.It's small, but it's chirping with all its might.
- 結衣 Yui静かな夜にぴったりな音だね。Shizukana yoru ni pittari na oto da ne.It's the perfect sound for a quiet night.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry コオロギ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
