カブトムシ

カ

ブ

ト

ム

シ

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

rhinoceros beetle; Japanese rhinoceros beetle

usually written using kana alone

Specifically refers to the Japanese rhinoceros beetle (Trypoxylus dichotomus), a large beetle with a distinctive horn. Often kept as a pet by children in Japan.

夏なつになると、カブトムシを捕つかまえに森もりへ行いく。
In summer, I go to the forest to catch rhinoceros beetles.
カブトムシの幼よう虫ちゅうは腐ふ葉よう土どの中なかで育そだつ。
Rhinoceros beetle larvae grow in leaf mold.

Usage patterns

カブトムシを飼かうto keep a rhinoceros beetle as a pet
夏なつ休やすみに甲かぶと虫むしを飼かうことにした。
I decided to keep a rhinoceros beetle over summer vacation.
カブトムシを捕つかまえるto catch a rhinoceros beetle
森もりでカブトムシを捕つかまえた。
I caught a rhinoceros beetle in the forest.
〈場ば所しょ〉でカブトムシを探さがすto search for rhinoceros beetles in a place
夜よる、木きの周まわりでカブトムシを探さがした。
At night, we searched for rhinoceros beetles around the trees.

Kanji

甲armor, high (voice), A grade
虫insect, bug, temper
兜helmet, head piece

Don't confuse with

クワガタムシ
カブトムシ is the rhinoceros beetle with a single horn, while クワガタムシ is the stag beetle with large pincer-like mandibles; children often collect both and mix up the names.
甲こう虫ちゅう
Written with the same kanji as カブトムシ, 甲虫 (こうちゅう) is the broad biological term for beetles in general, while カブトムシ refers specifically to the rhinoceros beetle species.

Counted with

匹ひきN3
counter for small animals · counter for rolls of cloth · archaic counter for horses · roll of cloth

Written forms

カブトムシUsage67%
kana-only spelling
Standard katakana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
甲かぶと虫むしUsage18%
Kanji spelling; rarely used. 甲虫 can also be read こうちゅう (beetle in general).
カブト虫むしUsage10%
search-only kanji form
Search-only mixed kanji-katakana form.
かぶとむしUsage2%
Hiragana spelling, also common.
かぶと虫むしUsage2%
search-only kanji form
Search-only mixed hiragana-kanji form.
兜かぶと虫むしUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji spelling using 兜 (helmet).

Etymology

From カブト (兜, helmet) + ムシ (虫, insect), referring to the horn that resembles a samurai helmet (kabuto).

Meanings

noun

rhinoceros beetle; Japanese rhinoceros beetle

usually written using kana alone

Specifically refers to the Japanese rhinoceros beetle (Trypoxylus dichotomus), a large beetle with a distinctive horn. Often kept as a pet by children in Japan.

夏なつになると、カブトムシを捕つかまえに森もりへ行いく。
In summer, I go to the forest to catch rhinoceros beetles.
カブトムシの幼よう虫ちゅうは腐ふ葉よう土どの中なかで育そだつ。
Rhinoceros beetle larvae grow in leaf mold.

Usage patterns

カブトムシを飼かうto keep a rhinoceros beetle as a pet

夏なつ休やすみに甲かぶと虫むしを飼かうことにした。

I decided to keep a rhinoceros beetle over summer vacation.

カブトムシを捕つかまえるto catch a rhinoceros beetle

森もりでカブトムシを捕つかまえた。

I caught a rhinoceros beetle in the forest.

〈場ば所しょ〉でカブトムシを探さがすto search for rhinoceros beetles in a place

夜よる、木きの周まわりでカブトムシを探さがした。

At night, we searched for rhinoceros beetles around the trees.

Don't confuse with

クワガタムシ
カブトムシ is the rhinoceros beetle with a single horn, while クワガタムシ is the stag beetle with large pincer-like mandibles; children often collect both and mix up the names.
甲こう虫ちゅう
Written with the same kanji as カブトムシ, 甲虫 (こうちゅう) is the broad biological term for beetles in general, while カブトムシ refers specifically to the rhinoceros beetle species.

Written forms

カブトムシUsage67%
kana-only spelling
Standard katakana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
甲かぶと虫むしUsage18%
Kanji spelling; rarely used. 甲虫 can also be read こうちゅう (beetle in general).
カブト虫むしUsage10%
search-only kanji form
Search-only mixed kanji-katakana form.
かぶとむしUsage2%
Hiragana spelling, also common.
かぶと虫むしUsage2%
search-only kanji form
Search-only mixed hiragana-kanji form.
兜かぶと虫むしUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji spelling using 兜 (helmet).