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ホオアカ Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ホオアカ

also: ほおあか

ホ

オ

ア

カ

Meanings

1

noun

chestnut-eared bunting; grey-headed bunting

usually written using kana alone

A small bird (Emberiza fucata) native to East Asia, known for its distinctive chestnut ear coverts.

ホオアカは夏なつに日本にほんで繁はん殖しょくする。
The chestnut-eared bunting breeds in Japan in summer.
草そう原げんでホオアカのさえずりが聞きこえた。
I heard the song of a grey-headed bunting in the grassland.

Written forms

ほおあか
Hiragana spelling, also common.
頬ほお赤あか
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly used in ornithological contexts; no priority for this form is specified.

Kanji

頬cheeks, jaw
赤red

Etymology

The name ホオアカ (頬赤) literally means 'red cheeks', referring to the bird's chestnut-colored ear coverts. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the name is a straightforward description of its appearance.