アホウドリ

あ

ほ

う

ど

り

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

albatross; short-tailed albatross

usually written using kana alone

Refers to albatrosses, especially the short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus). Usually written in katakana.

アホウドリは翼つばさを広ひろげると3メートル

に

も

なる

。

The albatross has a wingspan of up to 3 meters.

伊い豆ず諸しょ島とうにはアホウドリの繁はん殖しょく地ちがある。

There is an albatross breeding ground on the Izu Islands.

Kanji

信faith, truth, fidelity
天heavens, sky, imperial
翁venerable old man
阿Africa, flatter, fawn upon
呆be amazed, disgusted, shocked
鳥bird, chicken
房tassel, tuft, fringe

Word family

コアホウドリ
Laysan albatross
ワタリアホウドリ
wandering albatross
ススイロアホウドリ
sooty albatross
クロアシアホウドリ
black-footed albatross

Written forms

アホウドリ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is standard; the word is usually written in kana.
信天翁あほうどりUsage100%
Ateji kanji form; rarely used.
阿あ呆ほう鳥どり
Ateji kanji form; rarely used.
阿房鳥あほうどり
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used ateji kanji form.

Etymology

The name アホウドリ (ahōdori) is said to come from the bird's apparent lack of fear of humans, making it seem foolish (阿呆, ahō). The kanji 信天翁 is ateji, likely borrowed from Chinese.