蟻（あり、ari）
- ant

The word 蟻 (あり in hiragana) means "ant" in English. It refers to the small, social insects that are known for their organized colonies and ability to carry objects much heavier than themselves.

⚫︎庭に 蟻 がたくさんいます。 Translation: There are many ants in the garden. ⚫︎ 蟻 は砂糖が好きです。 Translation: Ants like sugar. ⚫︎ 蟻 の巣はどこですか？ Translation: Where is the ant nest?

This word is used in everyday conversation to describe ants. It can be used in various contexts, such as describing where you see 蟻, what they are doing, or their characteristics. It's a common word used in nature observations or when talking about insects.

⚫︎The word is most commonly written in kanji as 蟻. ⚫︎It is also written in hiragana as あり. ⚫︎Katakana is not typically used for this word. ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana.

There are no direct synonyms for "ant" in Japanese, as 蟻 is the standard term. However, you might use descriptive phrases to refer to them, such as 小さい虫 (small insect) or similar terms based on their behavior or appearance.

There are no direct antonyms for "ant." You could consider other insects, but those are distinct.

ピクニックに行ったとき、食べ物に 蟻 がたかってきました。 ・Translation: When I went on a picnic, ants swarmed around the food. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a common experience: ants being attracted to food.

子供たちは 蟻 の巣を観察していました。 ・Translation: The children were observing the ant nest. ・Explanation: This sentence describes children engaging in observation of an ant's nest.

The etymology of 蟻 is not definitively known, but it is believed to be an ancient word with roots in Japanese. The kanji 蟻 itself is a compound character:虫 (mushi - insect) and 義 (gi - meaning). The exact association of "meaning" with ants isn't clear, but the combination points to the understanding of the insect as it relates to insects.