The Meaning of CHUNTARO in Japanese
Hi there, it’s Junko from Japan! What’s the meaning of Zenitsu’s bird, CHUNTARO in Demon Slayer? In short, CHUN is a common onomatopoeia for sparrows in Japan, and TARO is the most common and traditional given name for boys.
The name TARO was originally for the oldest son. We don’t stick to tradition strictly, but some people still follow the rule.
Also, the word TARO is sometimes used to refer to an unspecified man or someone who is always doing a particular thing like a kind of a nickname. In Demon Slayer, GYUTARO also has this type of name which comes from GYU (a barker guy in a red district area) + TARO.
Anyway, TARO is very common for us as a male name.
What Is Zenitsu’s Bird’s Real Name?
To tell you the truth, Zenitsu’s sparrow’s real name is NOT Chuntaro. His real name was revealed to be UKOGI in a Taisho Secret episode (a short extra anime appears at the end of the Demon Slayer anime episodes).
Ukogi is the name of edible leaves that taste bitter. In the area where I live, Ukogi is called KOSHIABURA, and often eat them as Tenpura.
The name UKOGI comes from the fact that UGOKI GOHAN (Ukogi rice) is his (I mean, Chuntaro) favorite. But Zenitsu can’t understand his words and calls him Chuntaro on his own simply because the bird is a sparrow.
Tanjiro can understand what Chuntaro says to some extent, but it seems it’s difficult to discriminate the name even for Tanjiro.
Why Does Zenitsu Have a Sparrow?
Why did only Zenitsu get a sparrow instead of a Kasugai crow? Kasugai crows are usually crows, but Chuntaro volunteered for the position by himself because his family got killed by demons.
He was accepted and was assigned to be in charge of Zenitsu. It seems the gate of Kasugai rows is widely opened for birds.
Though Chuntaro can’t speak human language, he’s doing well with his fellow crows. For your information, sparrows and crows belong to the same group in biology. So Chuntaro may have had the potential to become a Kasugai crow (sparrow?).
Related Posts about Demon Slayer
What Does ZENITSU Mean in Japanese? The Hidden Meaning Behind His Name
What Chapter Does Zenitsu Fight Kaigaku? Find Out The Ultimate Showdown!
What’s The Name of Red Flowers in Demon Slayer and Its Meaning?
How Did You Like It?