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おとぎ話 (おとぎばなし) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
fairy tale ; fairy story ; nursery tale
A traditional story for children, often involving magical elements, moral lessons, or folklore. The term can also refer to any fanciful or made-up story.
名めい
な
おとぎ
話ばなし
です
。
Cinderella is a famous fairy tale.
Written forms おとぎ 話ばなし Usage 54%
Standard modern spelling; the most common written form.
お 伽とぎ 話ばなし Usage 15%
Variant using 伽 (attendant/companion), which reflects the original meaning of keeping someone company with stories.
お 伽とぎ 噺ばなし Usage 13%
Uses 噺 (a variant of 話 often used for storytelling); uncommon.
おとぎばなし Usage 13%
御お 伽とぎ 噺ばなし Usage 4%
Combination of honorific prefix and 噺; very rare.
おとぎ 噺ばなし Usage 1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form; not commonly used in modern writing.
御お 伽とぎ 話ばなし Usage 1%
search-only kanji form
Honorific prefix 御 + 伽; now rare and somewhat old-fashioned.
Kanji 伽 nursing, attending, entertainer Similar words 童どう 話わ 童話 is a broader term for children's stories, including both traditional and modern tales, while おとぎ話 specifically refers to traditional fairy tales or folklore.
昔むかし 話ばなし 昔話 refers to old tales or legends passed down orally, often with a historical or folkloric basis, whereas おとぎ話 can include more fanciful or literary fairy tales.
Etymology From おとぎ (御伽, 'attending someone, keeping company') + 話 (はなし, 'story'). Originally referred to stories told to keep a noble or child company, later generalized to fairy tales.
honorable, manipulate, govern
