Translation guide
The process of a young animal emerging from an egg. In Japanese, different verbs are used depending on the animal and context, and there are also specific terms for artificial hatching.
To describe an egg hatching naturally, or an animal hatching from an egg.
The most common and general verb for hatching, used for eggs of birds, reptiles, fish, insects, etc. Can be used both intransitively (the egg hatches) and transitively (to hatch eggs).
The egg hatched.
The chick hatched from the egg.
A common verb meaning 'to hatch' or 'to be born from an egg'. Often used in everyday speech for birds and insects. Intransitive.
The swallow chicks hatched.
Kanji form of かえる, but rarely used. Usually written in kana.
The egg hatched.
To describe hatching eggs artificially, as in poultry farming or conservation.
To use more specific or traditional verbs for certain animals hatching.
To refer to the act or process of hatching as a noun.
Both mean 'to hatch', but 孵化する is more formal and scientific, while かえる is common in everyday conversation. 孵化する can be transitive (卵を孵化する) or intransitive (卵が孵化する), whereas かえる is only intransitive.
羽化 (うか) specifically refers to insects emerging from their pupal stage, not hatching from an egg. Using it for egg hatching would be incorrect.
We hatched chicken eggs in an incubator.
Baby sea turtles were born on the sandy beach.
孵卵期間は約21日です。
The incubation period is about 21 days.