渡り鴉
watarigarasu
The English word raven can be translated into Japanese as 渡り鴉 (watarigarasu) or 大鴉.
Meaning: any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 渡り鴉 | watarigarasu |
| 大鴉 | ōgarasu |
In Japanese, any of the large species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage are referred to using these terms. The kanji 鴉 (garasu) is the specific character used for crow or raven, though it is often written in katakana as カラス in modern Japanese.
How do you pronounce it?
watarigarasu
When do people say it?
In Japanese mythology, the term Yatagarasu (八咫烏) literally translates to 'eight-span crow' and refers to a three-legged crow that symbolizes divine intervention or guidance.
Did you know?
- In Japanese folklore, the three-legged crow 八咫烏 is not a bad omen but a symbol of the will of the gods and is used as the official emblem of the Japan Football Association.
- Ancient Japanese poetry often used the word 鴉 to evoke a feeling of loneliness or the coming of evening, linking the bird's call to the fading light of the sun.
- Because many Japanese names are based on kanji, you might occasionally find people with the surname Karasu, though it is quite rare.
Example sentences for Japanese are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are walking in a park.
- 結衣 Yuiあそこに黒い鳥がいるよ。Asoko ni kuroi tori ga iru yo.There is a black bird over there.
- 健太 Kentaあれは渡り鴉だと思う。Are wa watarigarasu da to omou.I think that is a raven.
- 結衣 Yui普通の鴉より大きいね。Futsuu no garasu yori ookii ne.It's bigger than a regular crow, isn't it?
- 健太 Kentaうん、とても立派な鳥だね。Un, totemo rippa na tori da ne.Yeah, it's a very impressive bird.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “raven” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
