Translation guide
The adult, fully developed stage of an insect after metamorphosis.
Referring to the final, reproductive stage of an insect's life cycle.
The standard biological term for an adult insect. Used in both scientific and everyday contexts.
この蝶は成虫になるまでに約一ヶ月かかります。
It takes about a month for this butterfly to become an adult.
成虫の寿命は短い。
The lifespan of the adult insect is short.
A more general term for an adult organism, not limited to insects. Used in biology.
Direct loanword from Latin 'imago', used in highly specialized entomological contexts. Rarely encountered outside academic texts.
イマーゴの形態を詳細に観察した。
We observed the morphology of the imago in detail.
While '成虫' is a technical term, it is widely understood and can be used in casual contexts when talking about insects. For example, when discussing a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, you can say '成虫になった' (became an adult).
カエルは成体になると肺呼吸をする。
Frogs breathe with lungs when they become adults.