Words That Live with Insects 虫と暮らす言の葉

A caterpillar, chrysalis and butterfly on a branch, from Words That Live with Insects, Hiragana Times October 2026.

Words That Live with Insects
虫と暮らす言の葉

Hiragana Times
Sep 29, 2026

NIHONGO DO® | Word Leaves – Hiragana Times October 2026 issue

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Words That Live with Insects

虫むしと暮くらす言ことの葉は

Words are like leaves on a tree. They are colored by people’s thoughts and emotions, and carried from one person to another. The reason the character for “leaf” is used in the word kotoba (words) is believed to be connected to the Japanese reverence for nature. Japan’s oldest poetry anthology is also titled the Manyoshu (“Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves”). In this issue, in connection with the magazine’s theme, we explore words related to insects and trace how Japanese people have lived alongside them and captured that life in words.
言葉ことばはまるで木この葉はのようです。人ひとの心こころや考かんがえに色いろづけられ、他者たしゃへと伝つたわっていきます。「ことば」に「葉は」という漢字かんじを当あてた背景はいけいには、日本人にほんじんの自然崇拝しぜんすうはいが関係かんけいしていると考かんがえられます。日本最古にほんさいこの歌集かしゅうも『万葉集まんようしゅう』と名付なづけられています。今号こんごうでは、本誌ほんしのテーマthemeにあわせ、「虫むし」にまつわる言葉ことばを通とおして、日本人にほんじんが虫むしとともにどう暮くらし、その姿すがたを言葉ことばにとどめてきたかをたどっていきます。