ひげ
The English phrase "whiskers" is translated into Japanese as ひげ.
The word ひげ is a general term used to describe animal whiskers, facial hair such as beards or mustaches and even the fine hairs found on plants.
Which one should you use?
While English speakers use different words for animal whiskers versus human facial hair (beard or mustache), Japanese uses the single word ひげ for both.
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, the ひげ of a cat is often viewed as a sensory organ for detecting air currents and distance, and it is considered a sign of extreme bad luck or an omen of misfortune to cut them.
- The term might even stem from a combination of 'fin' and 'hair', if the word originally described the hair near a fish's fin.
- In Japanese folklore and theater, exaggerated ひげ are often used to denote a character's social status, strength or villainy, such as the thick mustaches of certain kabuki roles.
Examples in context
- 猫の 口ひげ って可愛いですよね。Whiskers on cats are adorable, aren't they?
- 猫のひげはとても長いです。Neko no hige wa totemo nagai desu.The cat's whiskers are very long.
- ウサギのひげも動いています。Usagi no hige mo ugoite imasu.The rabbit's whiskers are moving too.
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are looking at a cute cat in a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki見て、この猫のひげ、すごく立派だよ！Mite, kono neko no hige, sugoku rippa da yo!Look, this cat's whiskers are so impressive!
- 健太 Kenta本当だ、とても長いね。Hontou da, totemo nagai ne.You're right, they are very long.
- 美咲 Misakiひげがピクピク動いてるよ。Hige ga pikupiku ugoiteru yo.The whiskers are twitching.
- 健太 Kenta可愛いね。Kawaii ne.How cute.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ひげ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
