小雀

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
小	雀
こ Grade: 1	がら Jinmeiyō
kun’yomi	irregular

Attested from at least the 13th century. Origin is uncertain. One theory suggests shortening from an earlier 小雀目 (kogarame), meaning roughly “small birds that fly in a flock”. Others suggest shortening from 小山潜群, which in turn is from 小(こ) (ko-, “small”) plus 山潜群 (yamakugurimure), an obsolete form of 山雀(やまがら) (yamagara, “varied tit”). Compare also エボシガラ (eboshigara, “tufted titmouse”), 四十雀(しじゅうから) (shijūkara, “Japanese tit”).

コガラ or willow tit, Poecile montanus

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) こがら [kògárá] (Heiban – [0])
• (Tokyo) こ​がら [kóꜜgàrà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ko̞ɡa̠ɾa̠]

Noun

小(こ)雀(がら) or 小雀(コガラ) • (kogara) 

1. a willow tit

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
小	雀
こ Grade: 1	すずめ Jinmeiyō
kun’yomi

From 小 (ko, “small”) +‎ 雀 (suzume, “sparrow”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) こす​ずめ [kòsúꜜzùmè] (Nakadaka – [2])
• IPA^(key): [ko̞sɨᵝzɨᵝme̞]

Noun

小(こ)雀(すずめ) • (kosuzume) 

1. (literal) a small sparrow
2. a baby sparrow

Alternative forms

• (baby sparrow): 子雀

Proper noun

小(こ)雀(すずめ) • (Kosuzume) 

1. Kosuzume (a town in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan)