noun
Standard word for the flying mammal. Usually written in katakana.
夕方になるとコウモリが飛び始める。
Bats start flying around in the evening.
洞窟の中にはたくさんのコウモリがいた。
There were many bats inside the cave.
noun
Abbreviation of 蝙蝠傘 (こうもりがさ), a Western-style umbrella. Rare standalone use; mostly encountered in the compound.
See also: 蝙蝠傘
「蝙蝠」と書いて「こうもりがさ」と読ませることもある。
The kanji 蝙蝠 can sometimes be read as こうもりがさ (umbrella).
noun
Derogatory term for someone who switches sides for personal gain, likened to a bat that is neither bird nor beast. Often used in political contexts.
彼は政治的なコウモリだと言われている。
He is said to be a political opportunist.
あのコウモリ野郎はまた寝返った。
That turncoat switched sides again.
Kanji form is rare and difficult; usually written in kana. May also be read かわほり or へんぷく in older texts.
Hiragana spelling is also common and learner-friendly.
Full word for a Western-style umbrella; コウモリ alone as 'umbrella' is an abbreviation of this.
The kanji 蝙蝠 are Chinese characters for 'bat'. The Japanese reading こうもり is of uncertain origin, possibly from 川獺 (かわうそ, 'otter') + 守 (もり, 'protector') or other theories. The katakana form コウモリ is standard in modern usage.