1.
folk tale; folk story; legend
A traditional story passed down orally among the common people of a region, often featuring supernatural elements, animals, or moral lessons.
日本の民話を読む。
To read Japanese folk tales.
おばあちゃんが地元の民話を聞かせてくれた。
My grandmother told me local folk tales.
この地域には山の神にまつわる民話がたくさん残っている。
Many folk tales about the mountain deity remain in this region.
Refers to stories that have been passed down orally by common people, typically rooted in a specific region or community. Japanese folk tales often feature animals (動物), spirits (妖怪), or deities (神) and carry moral lessons.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 民話を語る: to tell a folk tale
- 民話を伝える: to pass down a folk tale
- 民話集: collection of folk tales
- 地方の民話: regional folk tales
- 民話の里: a village known for its folk tales
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 昔話: old tale — the most common everyday term for folk tales, often starting with 昔むかし ("once upon a time")
- 伝説: legend — typically tied to a specific place, person, or event
- 神話: myth — stories about gods and the origins of the world
- 寓話: fable — a story with an explicit moral lesson, often featuring animals