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April 12, 2018
common animals names in Japanese

Learn Animal Names in Japanese with Sound

Previously, we looked at a few common animal names in Japanese. But if you are looking for a longer list, you are in the right place. You probably know cat and dog, but do you know how to say "hedgehog" in Japanese? I'm sure Sonic knows, but if you aren't Sonic, read on.

Introduction

First, the word for “animal” is 動物 doubutsu. This literally means moving (動) thing (物).

Also, if you are looking for animal sounds in Japanese (like nya for a cat or wan for a dog), click here.

One Minute Japanese Video


Animal Names in Japanese


jUMP TO A sECTION

A

alligator – ワニ wani

ant – アリ ari

armadillo – アルマジロ arumajiro

B

bat – こうもり koumori

bear – kuma

birds – 鳥 tori

bee – 蜂 hachi

beetle – カブトムシ kabutomushi

butterfly – 蝶々 chou chou

C

cat – 猫 neko

camel – ラクダ rakuda

chicken – ニワトリ niwatori

crane – 鶴 tsuru

cow – 牛 ushi

crab – カニ kani

crow – からす karasu

carp – こい koi

cricket – コオロギ koorogi

D

dinosaurs – 恐竜 kyou ryuu

dog – 犬 inu

dolphin – イルカ iruka

donkey – ロバ roba

dragon – 竜 ryuu

duck – アヒル ahiru

E

eagle – 鷲 washi

elephant – 象 zou

F

fox – 狐 kitsune

frog – カエル kaeru 

firefly – 蛍 hotaru

fish – 魚 sakana

G

goldfish – 金魚 kin gyo

giraffe – キリン kirin

goat – ヤギ yagi

Godzilla – ゴジラ gojira

[Godzilla supposedly was a merging of ゴリラ (gorilla) and クジラ (whale)]

gorilla – ゴリラ gorira

H

hawk – 鷹 taka

hamster – ハムスター hamusuta–

hippo – カバ kaba

horse – 馬 uma

I

insects – 虫 mushi


J

jaguar – ジャガー jaga–

jellyfish - クラゲ kurage

K

kangaroo – カンガルー kangaru–

koala – コアラ koara

L

lamb – 子羊 kohitsuji

lion – ライオン raion

leopard – ヒョウ hyou

M

mosquito – か ka

mouse / rat – ネズミ nezumi

monkey – 猿 saru

moth – 蛾 ga

mule / donkey – ロバ roba

N

Nautilus – オウムガイ oumugai

Newt – イモリ imori

Nightingale – サヨナキドリ or ナイチンゲール sayonakidori or naichinge-ru

O

owl – フクロウ fukurou

Octopus – 蛸 tako 

Orangutan – オランウータン oranu-tan

Otter   -川獺 kawauso 

Oriole – コウライウグイス kouraiugaisu

Ostrich – ダチョウ dachou

P

panda – パンダ panda

penguin – ペンギン pengin

pig – 豚 buta

polar (white) bear – 白熊 shiro kuma

Q

quail – 鶉 uzura


R

rabbit – ウサギ usagi

rat / mouse – ネズミ nezumi

rhino – サイ sai

S

sparrow – スズメ suzume 

stork – コウノトリ kou no tori

swan – 白鳥 haku chou

shark – サメ same

scorpion – さそり sasori 

sheep – 羊 hitsuji

skunk – スカンク sukanku

snake – 蛇 hebi

snail – 蝸牛 katatsumuri

squid – イカ ika

T

tiger – トラ tora

turtle – 亀 kame

U

unicorn – 一角獣 ikkakujuu

V

Vulture – はげたか hagetaka

W

whale – 鯨 kujira

wasp – スズメバチ suzumebachi

worm – ミミズ mimizu

wild boar – 猪 inoshishi 

wolf – 狼 ookami

Y

yak – ヤク yaku


Z

zebra – シマウマ shima uma


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