昔むかし話ばなし

む

か

し

ば

な

し

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

Traditional story passed down orally, often beginning with 'むかしむかし'. Fairy tales, legends, and folklore are also used.

き

い

た

。

I heard a Japanese folk tale from my grandmother.

この昔むかし話ばなしは桃もも太た郎ろうの話はなしです。

This old tale is the story of Momotaro.

2

Personal or informal recounting of past events; often used in phrases like 昔話に花が咲く (to enjoy talking about old times).

〈人ひと〉に昔むかし話ばなしをするto tell someone an old tale/folk story
祖そ母ぼは孫まごたちに昔むかし話ばなしをした。
Grandmother told her grandchildren an old folk tale.
昔むかし話ばなしに花はなが咲さくfor reminiscing about old times to become lively and enjoyable
同どう窓そう会かいで昔むかし話ばなしに花はなが咲さいた。
At the class reunion, everyone got caught up reminiscing about old times.
昔むかし話ばなしが伝つたわるfor a folk tale to be handed down (through generations)
この村むらには古ふるい昔むかし話ばなしが伝つたわっている。
An old folk tale has been passed down in this village.

民みん話わN1sense 1
民話 refers specifically to folk tales as a genre of oral literature, while 昔話 can also mean a personal reminiscence.
思おもい出で話ばなし sense 2
思い出話 is a personal reminiscence about one's own past, matching the informal 'old story' sense of 昔話.
おとぎ話ばなし sense 1
おとぎ話 emphasizes the fantastical, fairy-tale aspect of a story, while 昔話 is the broader traditional term for any old tale.
伝でん説せつN1sense 1
伝説 is a legend tied to a specific place or historical figure, whereas 昔話 is a general term for old stories including fairy tales.

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童どう話わN2sense 1
童話 specifically means a children's story, often written, while 昔話 refers to traditionally told oral tales of any origin.
怪かい談だん
昔話 covers old folk tales or legends in general, while 怪談 specifically means a ghost or supernatural story.
故こ事じN1
昔話 is a casual folktale told for entertainment, whereas 故事 is a more formal reference tied to a historical or cultural origin.

作つくり話ばなしN1
昔話 is a traditional folk tale or old story passed down through generations, whereas 作り話 is simply a fabricated or invented story, not necessarily traditional.

昔むかし話ばなしUsage95%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
むかし話ばなしUsage5%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form; not a standard written variant.

Compound of 昔 (むかし, 'old times') and 話 (はなし, 'story'). The reading むかしばなし is a standard rendaku form.

昔話 is a folktale told mainly for entertainment or moral lessons, whereas 神話 is a sacred narrative explaining origins of gods or the world.