蛇(へび)

へび
noun
snake, serpent
animal-general
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

Related words

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 2026.9.2 13:01
02000/02246_hebi