also: しろとり
noun
white bird
Literal description of any bird with white plumage. Not a fixed term for a specific species.
庭に大きな白鳥が舞い降りた。
A large white bird landed in the garden.
noun
Used as a synonym for はくちょう (swan), especially in poetic or literary contexts. The reading しらとり is more common for this sense.
See also: 白鳥 (はくちょう)
湖に白鳥が優雅に浮かんでいる。
A swan is floating gracefully on the lake.
The standard modern word for 'swan'. 白鳥 read しらとり is a more literary or poetic alternative.
Compound of 白 (しら, white) and 鳥 (とり, bird). The reading しらとり is the older native Japanese reading, while しろとり is a variant.