1.
birds and beasts; wildlife; wild birds and mammals
A collective term for wild birds and mammals. Used in literary, legal, and environmental contexts to refer to wildlife in general.
この森には多くの鳥獣が生息している。
Many birds and beasts inhabit this forest.
鳥獣保護法によって狩猟が規制されている。
Hunting is regulated by the Wildlife Protection Act.
鳥獣による農作物への被害が深刻な問題になっており、各地で対策が進められている。
Damage to crops by wildlife has become a serious problem, and countermeasures are being implemented across the country.
Composed of 鳥 (birds) and 獣 (beasts). A literary and formal term that appears frequently in legal texts, environmental reports, and classical literature.
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
The famous 鳥獣戯画 (Scrolls of Frolicking Animals) is a set of picture scrolls from the 12th-13th centuries depicting animals behaving like humans. It is considered a precursor to modern manga and is a national treasure.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 鳥獣保護: wildlife protection
- 鳥獣被害: wildlife damage
- 鳥獣戯画: Scrolls of Frolicking Animals (national treasure)
- 鳥獣保護区: wildlife sanctuary
- 有害鳥獣: harmful wildlife (pest species)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 野生動物: wild animals — more modern and conversational, includes all wild animals; 鳥獣 is more formal and specifically means birds and mammals
- 動物: animals — general term covering all animals, not limited to wild ones
- 獣: beast; animal — a single wild animal, often with a nuance of ferocity