8.8. Invertebrates


8.8.1. Molluscans


All of the molluscans listed here except for snails are edible. (Escargots are not so popular in Japan.)

Hiragana:(ta)(ko)
Phonemes:ta'ko
Romanization:tako
Meaning:octopus

Hiragana:(i)(ka)
Phonemes:ika
Romanization:ika
Meaning:squid

Hiragana:(ha)(ma)(gu)(ri)
Phonemes:hama'guri
Romanization:hamaguri
Meaning:clam

Hiragana:(a)(sa)(ri)
Phonemes:asari
Romanization:asari
Meaning:short-necked clam

For your interest: This is the most popular shellfish in Japan.

Hiragana:(si)(zi)(mi)
Phonemes:sizimi
Romanization:shijimi
Meaning:corbicula

For your interest: Corbiculas are small shellfish often used for miso soup.

Hiragana:(ho)(ta)(te)
Phonemes:hotate
Romanization:hotate
Meaning:scallop

Hiragana:(ka)(ki)
Phonemes:ka'ki
Romanization:kaki
Meaning:oyster

Note: This word has different tones from persimmon.

The five words above are all (ka)(i) /ka' i/ "kai" (shellfish).

Hiragana:(ka)(ta)(tu)(mu)(ri)
Phonemes:katatu'muri
Romanization:katatsumuri
Meaning:snail

8.8.2. Crustaceans


Hiragana:(ka)(ni)
Phonemes:kani
Romanization:kani
Meaning:crab

Hiragana:(e)(bi)
Phonemes:ebi
Romanization:ebi
Meaning:shrimp, lobster

8.8.3. Insects and similar life


Japanese has many words for (mu)(si) /mu si/ "mushi" (insect) because insects' chirring is as evaluated as birds' singing. There are not always good English translations.

Hiragana:(ko)(o)(ro)(gi)
Phonemes:ko'orogi
Romanization:kôrogi
Meaning:cricket

Hiragana:(ki)(ri)(gi)(ri)(su)
Phonemes:kirigi'risu
Romanization:kirigirisu
Meaning:a kind of grasshopper

Hiragana:(ba)(small tu)(ta)
Phonemes:baQta
Romanization:batta
Meaning:a kind of grasshopper

Hiragana:(se)(mi)
Phonemes:semi
Romanization:semi
Meaning:cicada

For your interest: Cicadas are very common in the summer in Japan. There are many kinds of cicada such as (a)(bu)(ra)(ze)(mi) /a bu ra' ze mi/ "aburazemi", (mi)(n)(mi)(n)(ze)(mi) /mi N mi' N ze mi/ "mimminzemi", (hi)(gu)(ra)(si) /hi gu' ra si/ "higurashi", and (tu)(ku)(tu)(ku)(bo)(u)(si) /tu ku tu ku bo' u si/ "tsukutsukubôshi". Most Japanese people can distinguish them by hearing their sound.

Hiragana:(ka)(bu)(to)(mu)(si)
Phonemes:kabuto'musi
Romanization:kabutomushi
Meaning:beetle (found in forests)

Note: This word is used only for beetles with a big horn in forests. It is the combination of (ka)(bu)(to) /ka' bu to/ "kabuto" (warrior's helm) and (mu)(si) /mu si/ "mushi" (insect). The English word beetle has much wider meaning.

Hiragana:(ku)(wa)(ga)(ta)
Phonemes:kuwagata
Romanization:kuwagata
Meaning:stag beetle

For your interest: (ka)(bu)(to)(mu)(si) /ka bu to' mu si/ "kabutomushi" and (ku)(wa)(ga)(ta) /ku wa ga ta/ "kuwagata" are so evaluated as pets in Japan that one beetle can cost 50,000 yen.

Hiragana:(ti)(small yo)(u)
Phonemes:tyo'u
Romanization:chô
Meaning:butterfly

Note: The word (ti)(small yo)(u)(ti)(small yo) /tyo' u tyo/ "chôcho" also means butterfly. It is better when you want to avoid confusion with the word for intestines.

Hiragana:(ga)
Phonemes:ga
Romanization:ga
Meaning:moth

Hiragana:(to)(n)(bo)
Phonemes:toNbo
Romanization:tombo
Meaning:dragonfly

Hiragana:(a)(ri)
Phonemes:ari
Romanization:ari
Meaning:ant

Hiragana:(ha)(ti)
Phonemes:hati
Romanization:hachi
Meaning:bee, hornet

Hiragana:(ha)(e)
Phonemes:hae
Romanization:hae
Meaning:fly

Hiragana:(ka)
Phonemes:ka
Romanization:ka
Meaning:mosquito

Hiragana:(go)(ki)(bu)(ri)
Phonemes:gokiburi
Romanization:gokiburi
Meaning:cockroach

Hiragana:(ku)(mo)
Phonemes:ku'mo
Romanization:kumo
Meaning:spider

Note: Actually spiders are not insects.



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