翼

• Reading: つばさ
• Romaji: tsubasa
• Kanji breakdown: 翼 (yoku/tsubasa) — wing
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.ba.sa/

Meaning

Wings; the wings of a bird, insect, or aircraft.

A noun used both literally for the wings of living creatures and figuratively for freedom or aspiration. Often appears in literary and poetic contexts: 翼を広げる (tsubasa wo hirogeru, to spread one's wings). Also common in names, song titles, and anime. The more everyday word for wing is 羽 (hane), while 翼 carries a grander, more literary nuance.

Examples

1. 鳥が大きな翼を広げて空を飛んだ。 The bird spread its large wings and flew through the sky.
2. 飛行機の翼から美しい景色が見えた。 I could see a beautiful view from the airplane's wing.
3. 彼女は翼のように自由に生きたいと言った。 She said she wanted to live as freely as if she had wings.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, literature, aviation

Tone: poetic

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 翼 combines 羽 (feather) and 異 (different/extraordinary), suggesting extraordinary feathered appendages — wings that enable flight.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal