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WORD DETAIL

河童

かっぱ

N2water spirit

Examples

村には河童が住むという池の伝説がある。

祭りで子供が河童の面をかぶって踊った。

Included kanji

Study notes

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

  • Structure: 河童 (かっぱ) is a Japanese folkloric water spirit. 河童が住む refers to the legendary being; 河童の面 is a mask representing its appearance.
  • Basic usage: A pond legend says a kappa lives there, while a child at a festival wears a kappa mask.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

  • Creature in a legend and figure represented by a mask
    • The first example makes the being itself the subject. The second uses for a representational motif, so the child wearing the mask is not literally a kappa.

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