noun
pierid butterfly; white or sulfur butterfly
Refers to any butterfly of the family Pieridae, including common white butterflies and sulfur butterflies. Often used in field guides and nature contexts.
春になると、シロチョウが庭をひらひら飛び始める。
In spring, white butterflies start fluttering around the garden.
この図鑑には、日本で見られるシロチョウの仲間が詳しく載っている。
This field guide has detailed information on the pierid butterflies found in Japan.
A specific common species of white butterfly (small cabbage white), while シロチョウ is the broader family name.
Compound of 白 (しろ, 'white') and 蝶 (ちょう, 'butterfly'). The katakana spelling is standard for biological family names.