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.
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