How to Say "Mimicry" in Japanese

擬態

gitai[ɡʲita̠i]

The English word "mimicry" is translated into Japanese as 擬態 (gitai).

擬態 is most commonly used in a biological or scientific context to describe an organism mimicking its surroundings or another organism.

Meaning: the act or ability to simulate the characteristics of someone or something else (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The word is composed of the kanji 擬 (gi), meaning 'imitation' or 'simulated' and 態 (tai), meaning 'appearance' or 'form'.

gitai

The word 擬態 is frequently used in Japanese gaming and anime to describe 'stealth' or 'cloaking' abilities when a character blends into the environment.
The kanji 擬 in 擬態 is also used in the word 擬音語, which refers to onomatopoeia or the mimicry of sounds in language.
In Japanese pop culture, ものまね is a professional career path with dedicated television shows and competitions for the best impersonators.

彼女は有名人のものまねが得意です。
She is skilled in doing impersonations of famous people.
友達がアナウンサーのモノマネをしてくれるんだ。
My friend can do impersonations of announcers.
あのコメディアンは有名人の真似が得意だよ。
That comedian is skilled at doing impersonations of famous people.
この昆虫の擬態は本当にすごいです。
Kono konchuu no gitai wa hontou ni sugoi desu.
The mimicry of this insect is truly amazing.
植物の擬態は生存戦略の一つです。
Shokubutsu no gitai wa seizon senryaku no hitotsu desu.
Plant mimicry is one type of survival strategy.
彼は周囲の環境への擬態を得意としている。
Kare wa shuui no kankyou e no gitai o tokui to shite iru.
He is good at mimicry of his surroundings.

Kenta and Yui are looking at a leaf insect in a museum.

結衣 Yui

見て、本当に葉っぱみたい！
Mite, hontō ni happa mitai!
Look, it really looks like a leaf!
健太 Kenta

これは擬態という技術なんだよ。
Kore wa gitai to iu gijutsu nanda yo.
This is a technique called mimicry.
結衣 Yui

擬態のおかげで鳥に見つからないんだね。
Gitai no okage de tori ni mitsukaranain da ne.
Thanks to mimicry, birds can't find them, right?
健太 Kenta

その通り。とても賢いやり方だね。
Sono tōri. Totemo kashikoi yarikata da ne.
Exactly. It is a very clever method.

Sources

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