1.
bat
A nocturnal flying mammal with webbed wings. Bats use echolocation to navigate and hunt insects.
Usually written in katakana: コウモリ.
Common expressions
- 蝙蝠傘: (dated) a Western-style umbrella, from its bat-wing shape when open
USAGE (figurative):
A person who switches sides to suit the situation is called a 蝙蝠, from Aesop's fable of the bat that claimed to be a bird or a beast as it suited it.
Cultural note
The house bat (アブラコウモリ) is often seen flying at dusk in Japanese towns and cities.
Counting patterns
Counted with 匹.