1.
parent bird; adult bird
A bird that has offspring, or an adult bird as opposed to a chick. Used when discussing bird behavior, especially nesting and feeding.
親鳥がヒナに餌を運んでいる。
The parent bird is bringing food to the chick.
巣の近くに行くと、親鳥が威嚇してくる。
If you go near the nest, the parent bird will act aggressively.
親鳥は何度も巣と餌場を往復して、ヒナを育てる。
The parent bird raises its chicks by going back and forth between the nest and the feeding ground many times.
2.
old hen; mature chicken (in cooking)
In cooking, a fully grown, older chicken as opposed to a young one (若鶏). The meat is tougher but more flavorful.
親鳥の肉は硬いが味が濃い。
Old hen meat is tough but rich in flavor.
この店では親鳥の炭火焼きが名物だ。
This restaurant is famous for its charcoal-grilled old hen.
親鳥は若鶏と違って歯ごたえがあるので、煮込み料理に向いている。
Unlike young chicken, old hen has a chewy texture, so it is suitable for stewed dishes.
A compound of 親 (parent) and 鳥 (bird), with rendaku on 鳥. The two senses are used in quite different contexts: sense 1 in nature observation and biology, sense 2 in cooking and food. In some regions of Japan, particularly in Kagawa Prefecture's 骨付鳥, the distinction between 親鳥 and 若鳥 is an important menu choice.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 親鳥が巣を守る: the parent bird protects the nest
- 親鳥が餌を与える: the parent bird feeds (its young)
- 親鳥の肉: old hen meat
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 若鶏: young chicken — tender, commonly used in cooking
- ヒナ: chick; baby bird — the offspring that the 親鳥 raises
- 雛鳥: fledgling; young bird — a slightly more formal term for a baby bird