Japanese word

童話

Pronunciation

Romajidōwa

毎晩、妹に童話を読んであげます。mai ban imōto ni dō wa o yo n de a ge ma su

I read a children's story to my younger sister every night.

先生は授業で短い童話を紹介しました。sen sei wa ju gyō de mijika i dō wa o shō kai shi ma shi ta

The teacher introduced a short children's story in class.

Refers to a narrative presented in a form that children can understand and enjoy, whether its events are realistic or fantastic.

おとぎ話otogibanashi: A story with magical events or creatures, often passed down through tradition.

子どもが理解し楽しめるように作られた物語。ko do mo ga ri kai shi tano shi me ru yō ni tsuku ra re ta monogatari

The word combines 童 (dō, "child") with 話 (wa, "story"), linking the idea of childhood with a narrated tale.

Many well-known works translated as fairy tales are called 童話 (dōwa) in Japanese, but the term also applies to realistic children's stories.