1.
bat
A nocturnal flying mammal with webbed wings. Bats use echolocation to navigate and hunt insects.
蝙蝠は夜に飛ぶ。
Bats fly at night.
蝙蝠は超音波を使って飛ぶ。
Bats fly using ultrasonic waves.
洞窟の中に蝙蝠がたくさんいた。
There were many bats inside the cave.
夕暮れになると蝙蝠が飛び始める。
Bats start flying at dusk.
蝙蝠は鳥ではなく、空を飛ぶことができる唯一の哺乳類だ。
Bats are not birds, but the only mammals that can fly.
蝙蝠 refers to bats.
Alternative writing: コウモリ (katakana)
Common expressions:
- 蝙蝠傘 (Western-style umbrella - from its bat-wing shape when open)
- 蝙蝠外交 (bat diplomacy - switching sides opportunistically)
Counter: 匹
Figurative usage:
蝙蝠 is used to describe someone who switches sides depending on the situation, neither fully committing to one group nor another. This comes from Aesop's fable where the bat claims to be a bird or a mouse depending on circumstances.
Note:
Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight. In Japan, the common house bat (アブラコウモリ) is often seen flying at dusk in urban areas.