Meaning

Primary

Caterpillar

Word Type

noun

Explanation

When you think of a fur insect what do you think of? My mind immediately goes to a caterpillar. Imagine the furriest caterpillar you can and touch it. How does it feel? Furry?

Reading

けむし
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

The readings for this word are strange. Both use the kun'yomi readings - uses the reading you learned with the kanji, so that's easy. The part is like the vocab word you learned in the previous lesson.

Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 毛虫が出る

    a caterpillar appears

    毛虫がつく

    a caterpillar is on something

    毛虫がいる

    there's a caterpillar

Context Sentences

キャベツの中に毛虫がいた。

There was a caterpillar in the cabbage.

土じゃなくて、毛虫のフンだった。

It was not soil. It was caterpillar poop.

ペットの毛虫のシャーロットです。

This is Charlotte, my pet caterpillar.

Kanji Composition