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water balloon
a small balloon filled with water, used as a toy or in festival games
水風船を投げて遊んだ。
We played by throwing water balloons.
夏祭りで水風船すくいをした。
I played water balloon scooping at the summer festival.
子どもたちが庭で水風船を割り合って大はしゃぎしていた。
The children were having a blast bursting water balloons at each other in the garden.
A common summer toy in Japan. Small, colorful water balloons are a staple at Japanese summer festivals (夏祭り), where 水風船すくい (water balloon scooping) is a popular game — players try to scoop floating water balloons with a paper hook.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 水風船すくい: water balloon scooping (festival game)
- 水風船を投げる: to throw water balloons
- 水風船を割る: to pop a water balloon
- 水風船を作る: to make water balloons
CULTURAL NOTE:
At Japanese summer festivals, 水風船すくい stalls feature a tub of colorful floating water balloons. Players use a paper hook (紙こより) to try to lift them out before the hook dissolves. The scooped balloons are kept as prizes.
RELATED TERMS:
- 風船: balloon
- ヨーヨー: yo-yo water balloon (another festival variant)
- 金魚すくい: goldfish scooping (another classic festival game)