1.
snail
A soft-bodied mollusk that carries a spiral shell on its back. Snails move slowly and are associated with rainy weather in Japan.
雨上がりに蝸牛が出てきた。
A snail came out after the rain stopped.
蝸牛が葉っぱの上をゆっくり進んでいる。
A snail is slowly crawling on a leaf.
子供たちは蝸牛の殻に触って遊んでいた。
The children were playing by touching the snail's shell.
梅雨の時期になると、庭のあちこちで蝸牛を見かける。
When the rainy season comes, I spot snails here and there in the garden.
蝸牛は動きが遅いけれど、時間をかけて少しずつ前に進んでいく姿がかわいい。
Snails move slowly, but their appearance as they gradually inch forward over time is cute.
蝸牛 refers to land snails (not sea snails).
Alternative forms:
- カタツムリ (katakana, common in scientific contexts)
- でんでん虫 (colloquial/children's term)
- 蝸牛 (alternative reading, dialectal)
Common expressions:
- 蝸牛の歩み (snail's pace)
- 蝸牛の殻 (snail's shell)
Counter: 匹
Cultural note:
The children's song 「でんでん虫むし蝸牛」is famous in Japan. Snails are associated with the rainy season (梅雨) and are a symbol of early summer.