Translation guide
The English word 'starfish' refers to the marine animal. In Japanese, the most common term is ヒトデ, but there are also scientific and alternative names.
ヒトデ
starfish
Referring to the star-shaped marine creature in general contexts.
The standard, everyday word for starfish. Written in katakana, but also sometimes in kanji as 海星 or 人手.
海岸でヒトデを見つけた。
I found a starfish on the beach.
ヒトデは再生能力が高い。
Starfish have high regenerative abilities.
A kanji term for starfish, literally 'sea star'. More formal or literary than ヒトデ.
海星は棘皮動物に分類される。
Starfish are classified as echinoderms.
An alternative kanji writing for ヒトデ, literally 'human hand', but rarely used. May cause confusion with the word for 'other people's hands'.
This kanji form is uncommon and can be misread as '人手 (ひとで)' meaning 'someone else's hands' or 'help'.
この人手は珍しい種類だ。
This starfish is a rare species.