烏（からす、karasu）
- crow

The Japanese word 烏, pronounced からす (karasu), primarily means "crow" or "raven." It refers to a type of large, black bird known for its intelligence and often associated with intelligence or bad omens depending on cultural context. The word 烏 is often used to describe these specific birds.

⚫︎家の屋根に烏がとまっている。 Translation: A crow is perched on the roof of the house. ⚫︎公園でたくさんの烏を見た。 Translation: I saw many crows in the park. ⚫︎あの烏はとても賢そうだ。 Translation: That crow looks very intelligent.

This word is commonly used in everyday conversations to describe crows you see in the environment. It can be used in both formal and informal settings. You can use it when observing crows, talking about their behavior, or describing where you have seen them.

⚫︎ The word 烏 is primarily written using the kanji 烏. ⚫︎ The hiragana reading is からす (karasu). ⚫︎ There are no common alternative ways to write this word. The kanji is the standard form. ⚫︎ There are no variations in the okurigana.

There are no direct synonyms for 烏 that refer to the same specific type of bird. However, depending on context, you might describe them using general bird terminology: ⚫︎ 鳥 (tori) - "bird" (more general term) ⚫︎猛禽類 (moukinrui) - "birds of prey" (if referring to their hunting behavior, though crows are not always classified this way)

There are no direct antonyms for 烏. However, words referring to other types of birds could be considered opposites depending on context. For example: ⚫︎ ハト (hato) - "pigeon"

朝、烏の鳴き声で目が覚めた。 ・Translation: I woke up to the sound of a crow cawing in the morning. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the experience of being woken up by a crow's sound.

子供たちは烏がパンを盗むのを見て驚いた。 ・Translation: The children were surprised to see the crow stealing bread. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the action of a crow and the reaction of the children.

The exact etymology of 烏 is not definitively known. However, the kanji 烏 is a pictograph representing a crow. The meaning is derived from the visual representation of the bird.