羽は衣ごろも

also: うい

は

ご

ろ

も

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

noun

angel's raiment; robe of feathers

Mythological or poetic term for a feathered robe worn by celestial beings, especially in the legend of the Hagoromo (羽衣伝説). Often associated with heavenly maidens.

天てん女にょが羽は衣ごろもをまとって空そらを舞まう姿すがたは美うつくしい。
The sight of a celestial maiden wearing a robe of feathers and dancing in the sky is beautiful.
羽は衣ごろも伝でん説せつは日本にほん各かく地ちに残のこっている。
Legends of the Hagoromo (feathered robe) remain in various parts of Japan.

noun

wings; plumage

Poetic or literary term for the wings or plumage of birds and insects. Not used in everyday conversation; 翼 (つばさ) or 羽毛 (うもう) are more common.

蝶ちょうの羽は衣ごろもは光ひかりを受うけてきらめいていた。
The butterfly's wings sparkled in the light.

noun

type of bug

Only with reading はごろも

Specific entomological term for a type of bug. Restricted to the reading はごろも. Rare outside specialized contexts.

図ず鑑かんで「羽は衣ごろも」と書かかれた虫むしを見みつけた。
I found a bug labeled 'Hagoromo' in the illustrated reference book.

See all 15 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

羽は衣ごろもを着きるto put on the celestial robe of feathers
天てん女にょは羽は衣ごろもを着きて空そらへ舞まい上あがった。
The heavenly maiden put on her robe of feathers and soared into the sky.
羽は衣ごろもを隠かくすto hide the robe of feathers (as in the Hagoromo legend)
漁りょう師しは天てん女にょの羽は衣ごろもを隠かくしてしまった。
The fisherman hid the heavenly maiden's robe of feathers.

Expressions

天あまの羽は衣ごろもangel's feathered robe; heavenly feathered robe

Kanji

羽feathers, counter for birds, rabbits
衣garment, clothes, dressing

Related words

翼つばさN2sense 2
翼 is the everyday word for a bird's or insect's wings, while 羽衣 is a poetic, literary term for plumage or a feathered robe.
羽う毛もう sense 2
羽毛 is the standard, concrete word for feathers or down, whereas 羽衣 is a figurative, literary expression for plumage.

Don't confuse with

羽は織おりN1sense 1
羽織 is a short traditional Japanese jacket worn over a kimono, while 羽衣 is the mythical robe of feathers worn by celestial beings; they share the kanji 羽 but refer to very different garments.

Counted with

枚まいN3
Used for the robe/cloak as a flat garment; there is no special conventional counter for 羽衣.

Word family

ハゴロモガラス
red-winged blackbird
ハゴロモカンラン
kale
ハゴロモムシクイ
American redstart

Written forms

羽衣Usage94%
- はごろも
  Standard kanji spelling for the reading はごろも. Used in mythology, poetic, and biological contexts.
- うい
ハゴロモUsage6%
うい
Rare reading of 羽衣, mostly found in classical or literary contexts. Not commonly used in modern Japanese.

Etymology

Compound of 羽 (は, 'feather') and 衣 (ころも, 'robe'). The reading はごろも is a rendaku form of はころも. The alternative reading うい is a Sino-Japanese reading of the same characters, used in classical contexts.