虫の知らせ

• Reading: むしのしらせ
• Romaji: mushi no shirase
• Kanji breakdown: 虫 (mushi) — insect, inner spirit; 知らせ (shirase) — signal, notification
• Pronunciation: /mɯ.ɕi no ɕi.ɾa.se/

Meaning

A premonition; an instinctive feeling that something bad is about to happen; a sixth sense.

A fixed expression meaning an inexplicable, instinctive sense of impending misfortune. It carries a folk-belief nuance: 虫 (insect) here refers to tiny spirits believed in traditional Japanese medicine to reside in the body and respond to subtle changes. The phrase is typically used when someone's uneasy feeling is subsequently confirmed.

Examples

1. 朝から妙な感じがしていた。これが虫の知らせというものかもしれないと思っていた。 He'd had a strange feeling all morning. He thought it might be what they call a premonition.
2. 何となく胸騒ぎがして、それが虫の知らせだったように、後から事故の知らせが届いた。 He had felt an inexplicable unease in his chest, and as if it were a premonition, news of the accident arrived shortly after.
3. 祖母はいつも虫の知らせに敏感で、家族の危機を事前に感じ取っていた。 Grandmother was always sensitive to premonitions and could sense a family crisis before it happened.

Usage Guide

Context: premonition, folk belief, intuition, superstition

Tone: ominous

Origin & History

虫 (insect) here refers to a folk-belief concept of small spirits residing in the body. 知らせ means a notification or signal. The expression suggests an intuitive signal from within — the body's own early-warning system.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal