Standard word for the flying mammal. Usually written in katakana.
Many bats live in this cave.
Bats start flying around in the evening.
There were many bats inside the cave.
Abbreviation of 蝙蝠傘 (こうもりがさ), a Western-style umbrella. Rare standalone use; mostly encountered in the compound.
See also: こうもり傘
The kanji 蝙蝠 can sometimes be read as こうもりがさ (umbrella).
Derogatory term for someone who switches sides for personal gain, likened to a bat that is neither bird nor beast. Often used in political contexts.
He is said to be a political opportunist.
That turncoat switched sides again.
He switches his position depending on the situation, like a bat.
日和見 describes a wait-and-see, fence-sitting attitude, while コウモリ is the sharper insult calling someone a turncoat who switches sides for gain.
二股膏薬 is an old idiom for someone who sticks to whichever side is advantageous, much like the derogatory コウモリ.
counter for small objects; counter for pieces · counter for military units · individual; one person · counter for years of age difference; counter for school years
brown long-eared bat; common long-eared bat
fruit bat; flying fox; megabat
Japanese house bat; Pipistrellus abramus
birdlike noctule; Nyctalus aviator
Japanese pipistrelle; Japanese house bat
swift moth; Endoclita excrescens
Parasenecio adenostyloides (species of daisy)
vesper bat; Asian particolored bat; evening bat
Hilgendorf's tube-nosed bat
Japanese noctule
Katakana spelling is the most common written form for the animal. It is usually written in kana.
Kanji form is rare and difficult; usually written in kana. May also be read かわほり or へんぷく in older texts.
Hiragana spelling is also common and learner-friendly.
The kanji 蝙蝠 are Chinese characters for 'bat'. The Japanese reading こうもり is of uncertain origin, possibly from 川獺 (かわうそ, 'otter') + 守 (もり, 'protector') or other theories. The katakana form コウモリ is standard in modern usage.