捕食

• Reading: ほしょく
• Romaji: hoshoku
• Kanji breakdown: 捕 (ho) — catch, capture; 食 (shoku) — eat, food
• Pronunciation: /ho.ɕo.kɯ/

Meaning

Predation; preying on; the act of an animal killing and consuming another animal for food.

A sino-Japanese noun and する-verb central to ecology and biology. 捕食 describes the predator–prey relationship at the core of food webs and ecosystem dynamics. Its related terms — 捕食者 (predator) and 被食者 (prey) — are standard vocabulary in natural history documentaries and academic biology. The word can also appear in figurative contexts describing exploitative or aggressive behaviour in business or social settings.

Examples

1. ハヤブサは急降下しながら獲物を捕食する、最も効率的な狩人の一つだ。 The peregrine falcon, which preys on its quarry in a steep dive, is one of the most efficient hunters.
2. 捕食者と被食者の関係は、生態系のバランスを維持する上で欠かせない。 The predator–prey relationship is indispensable for maintaining the balance of an ecosystem.
3. 昆虫を捕食するオオカマキリは、農作物の害虫を自然に減らす効果がある。 The praying mantis, which preys on insects, has the natural effect of reducing crop pests.

Usage Guide

Context: ecology, biology, nature documentary

Tone: descriptive

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound. 捕 (ho) means to catch or capture, and 食 (shoku) means to eat or food. Together they describe the act of catching another organism to consume.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal