トンボ
tonbo
The Japanese word for dragonfly is トンボ (tonbo).
トンボ is a noun used to refer to an insect of the infraorder Anisoptera.
Meaning: insect of the infraorder Anisoptera (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is tonbo.
Did you know?
- The term トンボ can also refer to a pair of dividers or a compass used in geometry, named for the way the legs look.
- Samurai often featured the トンボ on their armor and helmets to symbolize courage and a refusal to surrender.
- The phrase トンボ返し, or 'tonbo-gaeshi', uses the word to describe a specific type of 'flip' or 'turnover' in cooking and sports.
Examples in context
- 天井にトンボが止まっている。There is a dragonfly on the ceiling.This sentence shows how to use トンボ when describing an insect resting on a ceiling.Tatoeba #125213 by bunbuku, translation #278780 by CK
- 大きなトンボが飛んでいる。Ōkina tonbo ga tonde iru.A large dragonfly is flying.
- 池の近くにトンボがいる。Ike no chikaku ni tonbo ga iru.There is a dragonfly near the pond.
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are walking through a park in autumn.
- 美咲 Misakiあ、あそこにトンボがいるよ！A, asoko ni tonbo ga iru yo!Oh, there is a dragonfly over there!
- 蓮 Ren本当だ、きれいなトンボだね。Hontō da, kirei na tonbo da ne.You're right, it's a beautiful dragonfly.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮さんは、トンボが好き？Ren-san wa, tonbo ga suki?Ren, do you like dragonflies?
- 蓮 Renうん、子供の頃よく捕まえたよ。Un, kodomo no koro yoku tsukamaeta yo.Yeah, I used to catch them often as a child.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry トンボ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
