白鳥
hakuchō[ha̠kɯ̟̊t͡ɕo̞ː]
The English word 'swan' is translated into Japanese as 白鳥 (hakuchō). Wiktionary also lists 鵠 (kugui).
Meaning: waterfowl of the genus Cygnus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 白鳥 | hakuchō | [ha̠kɯ̟̊t͡ɕo̞ː] (narrow) [ɕiɾa̠to̞ɾʲi] (narrow) |
| 鵠 | kugui |
Both provided terms refer to the waterfowl of the genus Cygnus.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 白鳥 literally means 'white bird'.
Which one should you use?
While both terms refer to swans, 白鳥 is the common, everyday term, whereas 鵠 is a more literary or poetic term.
How do you pronounce it?
hakuchō
Did you know?
- In Japanese folklore, the 白鳥 is often associated with the souls of the dead traveling to the spirit world.
- Japanese has a specific term 白鳥の歌 for a 'swan song', borrowing the Western concept of a final performance before death.
- The word 白鳥 can be read as hakuchō or shiratori depending on the context, with shiratori often appearing in surnames.
Examples in context
- 白鳥は美しい鳥で、優雅さを象徴します。Swans are beautiful birds that symbolize elegance.
- 池に白鳥がいます。ike ni hakuchou ga imasu.There is a swan in the pond.
- あの白鳥はとても美しいです。ano hakuchou wa totemo utsukushii desu.That swan is very beautiful.
- 白鳥が湖を泳いでいます。hakuchou ga mizuumi o oyoide imasu.A swan is swimming in the lake.
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are walking in a park.
- 美咲 Misaki見て、健太さん！白鳥が泳いでるよ。Mite, Kenta-san! Hakuchou ga oyoideru yo.Look, Kenta! A swan is swimming.
- 健太 Kenta本当だ。白鳥は優雅に動きますね。Hontou da. Hakuchou wa yuuga ni ugokimasu ne.You're right. Swans move gracefully.
- 美咲 Misakiあそこにたくさん白鳥がいますね。Asoko ni takusan hakuchou ga imasu ne.There are many swans over there.
- 健太 Kentaいい写真が撮れそうです。Ii shashin ga tore sou desu.It looks like I can take a good photo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “swan” translations and entries 白鳥, 鵠, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
