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ツツドリ (つつどり) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ツツドリ

つ

つ

ど

り

Meanings

1

noun

Oriental cuckoo

usually written using kana alone

A migratory cuckoo species found in East Asia. The name is onomatopoeic, mimicking its call.

春はるになるとツツドリが日本にほんに渡わたってくる。
In spring, Oriental cuckoos migrate to Japan.
山やまでツツドリの鳴なき声ごえを聞きいた。
I heard the call of an Oriental cuckoo in the mountains.

Written forms

ツツドリ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is common for bird names and is the usual written form for this species.
筒つつ鳥どりUsage100%
Kanji spelling is rare; the word is usually written in kana.

Kanji

筒cylinder, pipe, tube
鳥

bird, chicken

Similar words

カッコウ
カッコウ is the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), a different species with a more familiar two-note call.
ホトトギス
ホトトギス is the lesser cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus), another cuckoo species known for its distinctive song.

Etymology

The name ツツドリ is onomatopoeic, derived from the bird's call which sounds like 'tsutsu'. The kanji 筒鳥 (literally 'tube bird') is an ateji spelling based on the sound.