おとぎ話(ばなし)

おとぎばなし
noun
fairy tale; nursery tale; bedtime story
artculture
1. fairy tale; nursery tale; bedtime story
stories told to children, typically featuring magic, fantasy, or moral lessons
子供(こども)におとぎ話(ばなし)を読(よ)んであげた。
I read a fairy tale to the children.
おとぎ話(ばなし)のような美(うつく)しい景色(けしき)だった。
It was a beautiful scene like something out of a fairy tale.
日本(にほん)のおとぎ話(ばなし)には桃太郎(ももたろう)がある。
Momotaro is one of the Japanese fairy tales.
2. unrealistic story; fantasy; pipe dream
something that sounds too good to be true or is unrealistic
そんなおとぎ話(ばなし)を信(しん)じるな。
Don't believe such fairy tales (unrealistic stories).
一攫千金(いっかくせんきん)なんておとぎ話(ばなし)だ。
Getting rich quick is just a fairy tale.
おとぎ話(ばなし)みたいな話(はなし)だが、本当(ほんとう)にあったことだ。
It sounds like a fairy tale, but it really happened.

Etymology

おとぎ comes from 御伽(おとぎ) (keeping company, entertaining), originally referring to stories told to entertain or put children to sleep.

Cultural note

Well-known Japanese tales

Writing

  • お伽話(とぎばなし)
  • 御伽噺(おとぎばなし)

Related words

Related Words

Related: 昔話(むかしばなし) (folk tale, old story)
Related: 童話(どうわ) (children's story)
general
Added 2026.1.28 11:52 · Revised 2026.9.28 18:40
08500/08715_otogibanashi