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イシガケチョウ (いしがけちょう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

イシガケチョウ

い

し

が

け

ちょ

う

Meanings

1

noun

common map butterfly; map-wing butterfly

usually written using kana alone

Refers to the butterfly species Cyrestis thyodamas, known for its map-like wing pattern. Typically used in biological or nature contexts.

イシガケチョウは翅はねに地ち図ずのような模も様ようがある。
The common map butterfly has map-like patterns on its wings.
この辺あたり

で

は

イシガケチョウ

を

よく

見み

かける

。

We often see common map butterflies around here.

Written forms

イシガケチョウ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is standard for this butterfly name; usually written in kana.
石垣蝶いしがけちょう
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used. The kanji 石垣 (stone wall) and 蝶 (butterfly) describe its wing pattern.
石いし崖がけ蝶ちょう
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji variant; it is rarely used. 石崖 also means stone cliff.

Kanji

石stone
垣hedge, fence, wall
蝶butterfly
崖cliff, bluff, precipice

Etymology

The Japanese name イシガケチョウ (石垣蝶/石崖蝶) literally means 'stone-wall butterfly' or 'stone-cliff butterfly', referring to the map-like lines on its wings that resemble stone walls. The exact origin of the name is uncertain, but it is a direct description of the wing pattern.