Translation guide
A figure placed in fields to scare away birds and animals. In Japanese, the most common word is かかし, but there are also traditional and regional variants.
A human-like figure set up in a field to frighten birds away from crops.
The standard modern Japanese word for scarecrow. Can be written in kanji as 案山子 or 鹿驚, but hiragana is common.
Kanji form of かかし, often used in literature or formal writing. Same reading and meaning.
Rare kanji for scarecrow, literally 'deer frightener'. Same reading, but almost never used in modern Japanese.
Specific types of scarecrows used in certain regions or traditional contexts, often with unique designs.
For most situations, use かかし. It is understood nationwide and is the standard term in modern Japanese.
The English word 'scarecrow' is a compound of 'scare' and 'crow', but directly translating it as カラスを怖がらせるもの would sound unnatural. Stick to かかし.
田んぼにかかしが立っている。
There is a scarecrow standing in the rice field.
I made a scarecrow and put it in the field.
案山子が風に揺れている。
The scarecrow is swaying in the wind.
The kanji 鹿驚 is hardly ever used.
The traditional scarecrow is part of the old rural landscape.
Literally 'bird intimidator', a general term for devices that scare birds, including scarecrows, clappers, and other deterrents. Not exclusively a human-shaped figure.
There are various methods for bird scaring besides scarecrows.