Translation guide
A specific species of cicada native to East Asia, known for its distinctive call. This entry provides the Japanese name and related cultural context.
ツクツクボウシ
Meimuna opalifera (cicada species)
Referring to this specific insect in Japanese
The standard Japanese name for Meimuna opalifera. This is the most common and widely understood term.
夏の終わりにツクツクボウシが鳴き始めた。
At the end of summer, the Meimuna opalifera started singing.
An alternative name sometimes used, literally 'large tsukutsuku', but less common than ツクツクボウシ.
オオツクツクはあまり見かけない。
You don't see the Meimuna opalifera very often.
Describing or imitating the characteristic call
The Japanese onomatopoeia for the call of this cicada, from which its name derives. Used when mimicking the sound.
ツクツクボウシは「ツクツクオーシ」と鳴く。
The Meimuna opalifera cries 'tsuku-tsuku-ooshi'.
In Japan, the call of the ツクツクボウシ is associated with the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. It often appears in haiku and literature as a seasonal word (kigo) for late summer.