タテハチョウ

タ

テ

ハ

チョ

ウ

Meanings

1

nymphalid; brush-footed butterfly

usually written using kana alone

Refers to any butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, the largest butterfly family. In everyday Japanese, タテハチョウ is the standard term.

タテハチョウの仲なか間まには、オオムラサキやアサギマダラがいる。
Among the nymphalid butterflies are the great purple emperor and the chestnut tiger.
この公こう園えんでは、春はるになるとたくさんのタテハチョウが見みられます。
In this park, you can see many brush-footed butterflies in spring.

See all 3 example sentences ›

Kanji

立stand up, rise, set up
羽feathers, counter for birds, rabbits
蝶butterfly

Related words

アゲハチョウ
Swallowtail butterfly (family Papilionidae); a different butterfly family with distinctive tail-like hindwing extensions.
シロチョウ
White or sulphur butterfly (family Pieridae); typically smaller and paler than most nymphalids.

Word family

赤あか立たて羽は蝶ちょう
red admiral butterfly

Written forms

立たて羽は蝶ちょう
Kanji spelling is seldom used; learners will almost always encounter the katakana form.
たてはちょう
Hiragana spelling is also possible, but katakana is more common for this biological term.

Etymology

The name タテハチョウ is said to come from the way the wings are held upright (立て羽) when resting, though the exact historical derivation is uncertain.