かもめ
かもめ
noun
seagull
1.
seagull; gull
A white and gray seabird commonly seen at coasts and harbors.
かもめが海の上を飛んでいる。
Seagulls are flying over the sea.
港にはたくさんのかもめがいる。
There are many seagulls at the harbor.
かもめに餌をやった。
I fed the seagulls.
白いかもめが波の上を飛んでいた。
White seagulls were flying over the waves.
船が出ると、かもめが後を追いかけてきた。
When the ship set out, seagulls chased after it.
かもめ (seagull/gull) is a common seabird seen at Japanese coastal areas, harbors, and beaches.
KANJI:
Can be written as 鷗, though the kanji is uncommon and usually replaced by kana. The kanji is classified as 常用漢字外 (outside the standard kanji list).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- かもめが飛ぶ: seagulls fly
- かもめの群れ: a flock of seagulls
- 海のかもめ: seagulls at the sea
CULTURAL NOTE:
かもめ appears frequently in Japanese literature, songs, and poetry as a symbol of the sea and coastal life. The famous play「かもめ」is the Japanese title for Chekhov's "The Seagull."
COUNTER:
Birds are counted with 羽: 一羽、二羽.