蛇(へび)

へび
noun
snake, serpent
1. snake, serpent
A legless reptile.
蛇(へび)は苦手(にがて)だ。
I'm not good with snakes.
蛇(へび)が草(くさ)の中(なか)にいた。
There was a snake in the grass.
山道(やまみち)を歩(ある)いていたら蛇(へび)が横切(よこぎ)った。
A snake crossed the path while I was walking on a mountain trail.
日本(にほん)にはマムシという毒(どく)のある蛇(へび)がいるので、山(やま)に入(はい)るときは注意(ちゅうい)が必要(ひつよう)だ。
There is a venomous snake called mamushi in Japan, so you need to be careful when going into the mountains.
子(こ)どもの頃(ころ)は蛇(へび)が怖(こわ)かったが、大人(おとな)になってからは動物園(どうぶつえん)で蛇(へび)を見(み)るのが好(す)きになった。
I was afraid of snakes as a child, but after growing up I came to enjoy seeing them at the zoo.

蛇(へび) refers to snakes, legless reptiles.

KANJI READING:
Also read as じゃ in compounds (e.g., 大蛇(だいじゃ), 蛇口(じゃぐち))

ZODIAC:
巳(み) (snake) is the sixth animal of the Chinese zodiac. People born in the Year of the Snake are called 巳年(みどし)生(う)まれ.

TYPES OF SNAKES:

  • 毒蛇(どくへび): venomous snake
  • 青大将(あおだいしょう): Japanese rat snake (common, non-venomous)
  • マムシ: pit viper (venomous)

IDIOMS AND EXPRESSIONS:

  • 蛇足(だそく): superfluous addition (literally 'snake legs')
  • 蛇(へび)の道(みち)は蛇(へび): it takes one to know one
  • 竜頭蛇尾(りゅうとうだび): anticlimactic ending (dragon head, snake tail)

RELATED:
蛇口(じゃぐち) (faucet/tap) contains the kanji for snake but refers to a water tap.

core
Added 2026.1.9 21:46 · Revised 2026.2.22 10:33
02000/02246_hebi