JLPT · Level 150
15 words
Japanese word
ぶち
Pronunciation
Romajibuchi
Meaning
- nounspots
Example
白い犬に黒いぶちがあります。shiro i inu ni kuro i bu chi ga a ri ma su
The white dog has black spots.
More examples
この陶器には青いぶちが入っています。ko no tō ki ni wa ao i bu chi ga hai tte i ma su
This piece of pottery has blue mottling.
Core concept
It centers on uneven areas of contrasting color spread across a surface, especially an animal's coat.
Common phrases
白黒のぶちshiro kuro no bu chi
black-and-white patches
茶色いぶちcha iro i bu chi
brown patches
Similar words
斑点hanten: A clearly visible spot of color that differs from the surrounding surface.
まだらmadara: An irregular mixture of contrasting colors forming spots or patches.
斑紋hanmon: A characteristic colored mark or pattern found on an animal, plant, or other natural surface.
Definition in Japanese
毛や皮膚などに異なる色が不規則に混じってできた斑点や斑模様。ke ya hi fu na do ni koto na ru iro ga fu ki soku ni ma ji tte de ki ta han ten ya buchi mo yō
Word origin
The origin of ぶち (buchi), a native Japanese noun, is uncertain, but the word is established as a term for irregularly colored markings.
Usage tips
- In Japanese animal descriptions, ぶち (buchi) can identify a coat pattern without specifying the animal's breed, so the same word applies to dogs, cats, and other animals.
Other meanings
- patchesnoun
- mottlingnoun