The Japanese word for wasp is hachi (traditional Japanese) and wasupu (English loanword). Find more translations below.
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| Romanji | Kanji | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Wasp はち | Hachi | 蜂 | |
| Wasp (English loanword) ワスプ | Wasupu | None | |
| Hunter wasp かりゅうどばち | Karyūdobachi | 狩人蜂 | |
| Red-banded sand wasp じがばち | Jigabachi | 似我蜂 |
Interesting facts about the Japanese word for wasp
The Japanese word for wasp, bee and hornet is hachi (蜂). This can seem confusing and somewhat strange because in traditional Japanese culture, unlike Western culture, there were no distinct categories for insects like hornets, bees and wasps. This is because Japan is home to many kinds of stinging insects, so instead of naming them individually, the Japanese decided to name them collectively.
On the other hand, it’s worth noting that Japanese does have more specific terms for different species of bees, hornets and wasps. For example suzumebachi (Asian giant hornet), maboroshihachi (Cicada killeer wasp), etc. However, such words are not commonly used in everyday language.