noun
crow in the mountains
General term for crows found in mountainous areas; may be used poetically or in everyday speech.
山烏が鳴きながら飛んでいった。
A mountain crow flew away cawing.
noun
jungle crow; large-billed crow
Specifically refers to Corvus macrorhynchos, also known as ハシブトガラス. Common in Japan.
See also: ハシブトガラス
山烏はハシブトガラスの別名として使われることがある。
山烏 is sometimes used as another name for the jungle crow (ハシブトガラス).
noun
Refers to Corvus frugilegus, a species of crow. Less commonly encountered in Japan; often called ミヤマガラス.
See also: ミヤマガラス
山烏という名はミヤマガラスを指すこともある。
The name 山烏 can also refer to the rook (ミヤマガラス).
noun
dark-skinned person
Archaic derogatory term; not used in modern Japanese. Historical usage only.
古い文献では、山烏が肌の黒い人を指す蔑称として使われた例がある。
In old texts, there are examples of 山烏 being used as a derogatory term for dark-skinned people.
Compound of 山 (yama, 'mountain') and 烏 (karasu, 'crow'), literally 'mountain crow'. The exact derivation is uncertain; the term has been applied to several crow species and historically used as a derogatory label.