セミ

The quintessential sound of Japanese summer. Different species have distinctive calls.

Kanji orthography

Can be written as 蝉(せみ) in kanji, but セミ in katakana is more common in everyday use.

Common species

• アブラゼミ (large brown cicada)
• ミンミンゼミ (min-min cicada)
• ヒグラシ (evening cicada)
• ツクツクボウシ (late summer cicada)

Common collocations

• セミが鳴(な)く (cicadas chirp)
• セミの抜(ぬ)け殻(がら) (cicada shell/exuviae)
• セミ取(と)り (cicada catching)

Cultural note

Cicada catching is a traditional summer activity for children. The cicada's short adult life is often used as a metaphor for the fleeting nature of existence.