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Japanese/Vocabulary/Animals

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Related vocabulary

Mammals

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Japanese English Reading Notes
アルパカAlpacaloan word from the American Spanish word alpaca
オポッサムAustralian Possumloan word from the English word opossum
蝙蝠Batこうもりindividually both kanji mean bat but are read differently
Bearくま
ビーバーBeaverloan word from the French derived English word beaver
駱駝Camelらくだwhite horse (駱) hunchback (駝)
Catねこ
チンチラChinchillaloan word from the Spanish word chinchilla
ハナグマCoatimundinose (ハナ) bear (グマ)
Cowうしalso used for ox
コヨーテCoyoteloan word from the American Spanish word coyote
鹿Deerしか
デグーloan word from the South American word degu
Dogいぬ
海豚Dolphinいるかsea (海) pig (豚). When written in kana, katakana is commonly used.
驢馬
兎馬
Donkeyろば
うさぎうま
donkey (驢) horse (馬) or rabbit (兎) horse (馬)
儒艮Dugongじゅごんloan word from the Latin word dugong
Elephantぞう
鼬 いたちFerret
Foxきつね
砂鼠Gerbilすなねずみsand (すな) mouse (ねずみ)
麒麟Giraffeきりん
山羊Goatやぎmountain (山) sheep (羊)
ゴリラGorilla
ウッドチャックGroundhogloan word from the English words wood chuck
モルモットGuinea pigloan word from the French word marmotte
ハムスターHamsterloan word from the German word hamster
針鼠 or 蝟Hedgehogはりぬずみneedle ( ハリ) mouse (ネズミ)
河馬Hippopotamusかばriver (河) horse (馬)
Horseうま
キンカジューKinkajouloan word from the Indian word kinkajou, meaning honey bear
子猫 / 仔猫Kittenこねこchild (子 / 仔) cat (猫)
獅子
ライオン
Lionししloan word from Chinese (Shizi)
loan word from the English lion
ラマLlamaloan word from the Spanish word llama
海牛 Manateeかいぎゅうocean (海) cow (牛)
ミンクMinkloan word from the English word mink
Monkeyさる
Mouseねずみ
川獺 / 獺Otterかわうそ
パンダPandaぱんだloan word from the French word panda
Pigぶた
北極熊 Polar bearほっきょくぐま北極= North Pole, 熊= Bear
子犬 / 仔犬Puppyこいぬchild (子 / 仔) dog (犬)
Rabbitうさぎalso used for hare or coney
洗熊Raccoonあらいぐまto wash (洗う) bear (熊)
Raccoon dogたぬき
溝鼠
ラット
Ratどぶねずみ
 
ラット is a loan word from the English rat and used more commonly than どぶねずみ
レッサーパンダRed pandaressa is the loan word for the English word lesser and panda from the French panda
Rhinocerosさい
海豹Sealあざらし海 (sea) 豹(panther)
海驢Sea lionあしか海 (sea) 驢 (donkey). When written in kana, katakana is commonly used.
Sheepひつじ
コモリネズミShort tailed opossumコモリ (komori) ネズミ (mouse)
スカンクSkunkloan word from the English word skunk
栗鼠Squirrelりすchestnut (栗) mouse (鼠)
Tigerとら
袋鼠Virginia opossumふくろねずみsack/bag (袋) mouse (鼠). The English loan word ポッサム (possamu) is often used
Weaselいたち
Whaleクジラwhen written in kana, katakana is commonly used
Wolfおおかみ
クズリWolverine
縞馬Zebraしまうまstripe (縞) horse (馬)


Birds

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Japanese English Reading Notes
Birdとり
金糸雀Canaryかなりあ / かなりや
Chicken (domestic)にわとり
Craneつる
Cormorant
烏 / 鴉Crow (or raven)からす
郭公Cuckooかっこう
家鴨Duck (domestic)あひるfamily/house (家) wild duck (鴨)
Duck (wild)かも
Eagleわし
エミューEmuloan word from the Portuguese word emu
フラミンゴFlamingo
鵞鳥Gooseがちょうgoose (鵞) bird (鳥)
Hawk (or falcon)たか
Swallowつばめ
鴕鳥Ostrichだちょうostrich (鴕) bird (鳥)
鸚哥Parakeetいんこ writtin in Katakana インコ。 source (my 日本語のせんせい。)
雉子 / 雉Pheasantきじ
Pigeon (or dove)はと
鷗(鴎)Seagullかもめ
雲雀Skylarkひばりcloud (雲) sparrow (雀)
Sparrowすずめ
七面鳥Turkeyしちめんちょうseven faces (七面) bird (鳥)
禿鷹Vultureはげたかbaldness (禿) hawk (鷹)


Reptiles, fish and other sea life

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Japanese English Reading Notes
Alligator (or crocodile)わに
Carpこい
Crabかに
龍 / Dragonりゅう / たつboth 龍 and 竜 can be read as either ryuu or tatsu
Eelうなぎ
Fishさかな (or うお)
Frogかえる
イグアナIguanaloan word from the Spanish word iguana
金魚Goldfishきんぎょgold (金) fish (魚)
水母 / 海月Jellyfishくらげwater (水) mother (母) or sea (海) moon (月)
コモドドラゴンKomodo dragonloan word from the Indonesian island Komodo and the English word dragon
蛸 / 章魚Octopusたこwhen written in kana, katakana is commonly used
海獣Sea animalかいじゅうsea (海) animal (獣)
海牛Sea slugうみうしsea (海) cow (牛). More commonly written using kana (katakana) instead of kanji
Sharkさめ
海老 / 蝦Shrimpえび
蝸牛Snailかたつむり,or でんでんむし,or かぎゅうsnail (蝸) cow (牛). 蝸牛 can be read in all three ways and still mean snail
Snake (or serpent)へび
伊勢海老Spiny lobsterいせえびIse (伊勢) shrimp (蝦)
墨魚Squidぼくぎょink (墨) fish (魚).
Tunaまぐろ
Turtle (or tortoise)かめ


Insects

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Japanese English Reading Notes
虫 / 昆虫Insectむし / こんちゅう
害虫Harmful insectsがいちゅう
益虫Beneficial insectsえきちゅう
兜虫 / 甲虫Beetleかぶとむしlit. headpiece (兜) insect (虫)
鍬形虫Stag beetleくわがたむしlit. Hoe-shape insect
蟋蟀Cricketこおろぎ
Mosquito
Scorpionさそり
蜘蛛Spiderくも
Butterflyちょう
Fireflyほたる
Antあり
Moth
蟷螂Mantisかまきり
蜚蠊Cockroachごきぶり
蜻蛉Dragonflyとんぼ
蜜蜂Beeみつばち
雀蜂 / 胡蜂Hornetすずめばち
団子虫Pillbugだんごむしlit. dumpling insect
草鞋虫Sow bugわらじむしlit. Waraji insect
蚯蚓Earthwormみみず
蠅 / 蝿Flyはえ
天道虫Ladybugてんとうむしlit. insect of path in the heavens
蟬 / 蝉Cicadaせみ