鳥

• Reading: とり
• Romaji: tori
• Kanji breakdown: 鳥 (chou/tori) — bird
• Pronunciation: /to.ɾi/

Meaning

Bird. A general term for feathered, winged animals.

A noun referring to birds in general. Also commonly used to mean chicken meat in cooking contexts (more formally 鶏肉, toriniku). Japan is home to many bird species, and bird-watching is a popular hobby. The kanji appears in 鳥居 (torii), the iconic shrine gates.

Examples

1. 朝、鳥の声が聞こえます。 In the morning, you can hear the birds singing.
2. 公園で鳥に餌をあげました。 I fed the birds at the park.
3. あの木に鳥が三羽います。 There are three birds in that tree.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, animals, parks

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 鳥 is a pictograph of a bird with tail feathers, one of the oldest animal characters in the writing system.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal