How to Say "Snake" in Japanese

蛇

hebi[he̞bʲi]

The Japanese word for snake is 蛇 (hebi).

蛇 refers to the legless reptile.

Meaning: legless reptile (noun)

Is it said differently in some regions?

In some areas, the term Mizuchi is used to refer specifically to a mythical water serpent.

The verb 蛇行する is derived from the noun 蛇 and is used to describe winding movements.

hebi

At some shrines in Japan, you can find 白蛇 'hakuhebi' or white snakes, which are revered as messengers of Benzaiten and symbols of wealth and good fortune.
One theory suggests that the word 蛇 originally comes from the phrase kuchinawa, which literally means 'rotten rope' because of how a decaying rope looks like a snake.
The Japanese zodiac includes the 'snake' as one of its twelve animals, and people born in the year of the 蛇 are often characterized as wise and intuitive.

蛇は脱皮した。
The snake shed its skin.
This sentence shows how to use 蛇 when discussing the shedding of skin.
Tatoeba #148907 by bunbuku, translation #3756494 by Lindoula
蛇に噛まれた。
A snake bit me.
This sentence uses 蛇 to describe being bitten by a snake.
Tatoeba #12072982 by small_snow, translation #6440735 by OsoHombre
蛇が蛙を飲み込んだ。
The snake swallowed a frog.
This sentence uses 蛇 to describe a snake swallowing prey.
Tatoeba #148909 by bunbuku, translation #265649 by CK
19 more sentences on Tatoeba

Two children are looking at a picture book in a library.

陽葵 Himari

この蛇はとても長いね。
Kono hebi wa totemo nagai ne.
This snake is very long, isn't it?
陽太 Yota

本当だ。少し怖いよ。
Hontō da. Sukoshi kowai yo.
You're right. It's a little scary.
陽葵 Himari

陽太くん、大丈夫だよ。
Yōta-kun, daijōbu da yo.
Yota, it's okay.
陽太 Yota

うん、分かってる。
Un, wakatteru.
Yeah, I know.

Sources

Wiktionary, “snake” translations and entries 蛇, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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