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民話 (みんわ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Meanings 1
noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
folk tale ; folklore
Refers to traditional stories passed down orally in a region, including legends, fables, and fairy tales. Often used in educational or cultural contexts.
みん
話わ
を
集あつ
め
て
本ほん
に
まとめる
。
Collect folk tales and compile them into a book.
Kanji 民 people, nation, subjects Similar words 昔むかし 話ばなし 昔話 specifically refers to old tales or legends, often with a fixed opening like 'mukashi mukashi'. 民話 is a broader term encompassing all kinds of folk narratives, including 昔話.
伝でん 説せつ 伝説 is a legend, often tied to a specific place or historical figure, and may be believed to have some basis in fact. 民話 is a more general term for folk stories, not necessarily claiming historical truth.
Etymology Compound of 民 (people, folk) and 話 (story, tale). A relatively modern coinage, likely from the Meiji period, as a translation of Western concepts like 'folklore'.
