Kankodori (閑古鳥 - "Cuckoo")

Kankodori

In my post yesterday, I explained that cuckoos are not very auspicious in Japan.

A cuckoo is sometimes called 'kankodori' (閑古鳥) in Japanese.

Since 'kan' (閑) means "quiet," 'ko' (古) means "old," and 'tori/dori' (鳥) means "bird," the literal meaning of 'kankodori' is a quiet old bird.

In addition, by adding 'naku' (鳴く - meaning "call") to that, it becomes the idiom, 'kankodori ga naku' (閑古鳥が鳴く - "a cuckoo calls").

Cuckoos' call echoes lonely in mountains far from town, giving a sad impression.

Because of this, the phrase 'kankodori ga naku' became an idiom to describe a quiet store that is not prosperous.

閑古鳥

昨日の投稿で、「カッコウ」は日本であまり縁起が良くないと説明しました。

「カッコウ」は日本語で「閑古鳥」とも呼ばれます。

「閑」は "quiet"、「古」は "old"、「鳥」は "bird" を意味するので、「閑古鳥」の文字どおりの意味は "quiet old bird" となります。

また、"call" を意味する「鳴く」をつけると、「閑古鳥が鳴く」という慣用句になります。

閑古鳥の泣き声は、人里離れた山間などで寂しげに響き、物哀しい印象があります。

このことから「閑古鳥が鳴く」は、客足がなく商売が繁盛していない様子を表す慣用句となったというわけです。

• Kankodori
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• In my post yesterday, I explained that cuckoos are not very auspicious in Japan.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• A cuckoo is sometimes called 'kankodori' (閑古鳥) in Japanese.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Since 'kan' (閑) means "quiet," 'ko' (古) means "old," and 'tori/dori' (鳥) means "bird," the literal meaning of 'kankodori' is a quiet old bird.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• In addition, by adding 'naku' (鳴く - meaning "call") to that, it becomes the idiom, 'kankodori ga naku' (閑古鳥が鳴く - "a cuckoo calls").
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Cuckoos' call echoes lonely in mountains far from town, giving a sad impression.
• Cuckoos' calls echoes lonely in mountains far from town, giving a sad impression.

• Because of this, the phrase 'kankodori ga naku' became an idiom to describe a quiet store that is not prosperous.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

This was very interesting! I'm surprised that they are regarded as quiet birds in Japan, but to be honest, I've never actually met one before, so I wouldn't know :)