白鷺(しらさぎ)

しらさぎ
noun
white egret; great/intermediate/little egret
animal-bird
1. white egret; (white) heron
A general term for any of several pure-white heron species found in Japan, including the great egret, intermediate egret, and little egret. Common around rivers, paddies, and coastal mudflats.
田(た)んぼに白鷺(しらさぎ)がいる。
There's a white egret in the rice paddy.
白鷺(しらさぎ)が川(かわ)で魚(さかな)を狙(ねら)っていた。
A white egret was eyeing fish in the river.
姫路城(ひめじじょう)は白(しろ)く美(うつく)しい姿(すがた)から白鷺城(はくろじょう)とも呼(よ)ばれている。
Himeji Castle is also called the White Egret Castle because of its beautiful white appearance.

Not a single species but a cover term for white herons. Frequently appears in classical poetry and art as a symbol of grace and purity. Himeji Castle's nickname 白鷺城(はくろじょう) uses the same kanji read as はくろ.

Similar words

  • 青鷺(あおさぎ): grey heron — larger, blue-grey plumage
  • サギ: heron (general) — covers both white and grey species
  • ツル: crane — superficially similar but a different family

Related Words

Related: 青鷺(あおさぎ) (grey heron)
general
Added 2026.6.4 13:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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