鳥・鶏・禽|とりtori[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Which spelling to use
鳥鳥 is the most common written form and the form beginners should normally choose; it is written only in kanji and covers the listed meanings.
鶏鶏 is less common than 鳥 and is also written only in kanji; it is another written form for the same meanings.
禽禽 is rarely used and written only in kanji, so learners will seldom encounter it; beginners should use 鳥 instead.
Definitions
- nounbird
- nounbird meat (esp. chicken meat); fowl; poultryesp. 鶏
Synonyms & antonyms
- Related鶏にわとりNeutralSpecifically the chicken; also read 「とり」 as shorthand for chicken meat. 「鳥」 covers all birds, and when talking about food 「とり」 usually means chicken meat.
- Related鳥類ちょうるいWrittenWritten/formal academic term for birds as a taxonomic class, as in 「鳥類図鑑」; not the everyday word for a bird.
- Related禽鳥きんちょうWrittenWritten/formal word for birds; used very rarely — in everyday speech say 「鳥」.
- RelatedバードCasualColloquial loanword for bird; mostly seen in compounds like 「バードウォッチング」 rather than standing alone.
Use 「鳥」 by default for birds, and for chicken meat as food. Use 「鶏」 for the bird itself, 「鳥類」 for the scientific classification, and 「バード」 mainly in compounds like 「バードウォッチング」; 「禽鳥」 is rare written prose.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
