Common Animals in Japanese
Master Animal Vocabulary with Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana
Table of Contents
1. Overview & Writing Systems
Japanese animal names use THREE writing systems: Kanji (Chinese characters), Hiragana (native script), and Katakana (foreign words)
Each system serves different purposes and contexts in modern Japanese
Writing System Usage
Kanji (漢字): Traditional characters, often used in formal writing and compound words
Hiragana (ひらがな): Native Japanese script, common in everyday conversation
Katakana (カタカナ): Used for foreign animal names and scientific terms
Mixed Usage: Modern Japanese often combines multiple systems
2. Domestic Pets (ペット)
Dog
Hiragana
Katakana
Cat
Hiragana
Katakana
Fish
Hiragana
Katakana
Bird
Hiragana
Katakana
Hamster
Hiragana
Katakana
Rabbit
Hiragana
Katakana
3. Farm Animals (農場の動物)
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Katakana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cow | 牛 | うし | ウシ | ushi |
| Pig | 豚 | ぶた | ブタ | buta |
| Horse | 馬 | うま | ウマ | uma |
| Sheep | 羊 | ひつじ | ヒツジ | hitsuji |
| Goat | 山羊 | やぎ | ヤギ | yagi |
| Chicken | 鶏 | にわとり | ニワトリ | niwatori |
| Duck | 鴨 | かも | カモ | kamo |
Farm Animal Culture
Agricultural Heritage: Many kanji for farm animals are ancient and fundamental to Japanese culture
Food Context: These animals often appear in food-related vocabulary and cooking
Zodiac Animals: Some farm animals are part of the 12-year zodiac cycle (cow, horse, pig)
4. Wild Animals (野生動物)
Lion
Hiragana
Katakana (Standard)
Tiger
Hiragana
Katakana
Bear
Hiragana
Katakana
Wolf
Hiragana
Katakana
Elephant
Hiragana
Katakana
Monkey
Hiragana
Katakana
More Wild Animals
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox | 狐 | きつね | kitsune |
| Deer | 鹿 | しか | shika |
| Giraffe | 麒麟 | きりん | kirin |
| Panda | 熊猫 | ぱんだ | panda |
5. Sea Creatures (海の生物)
Octopus
Hiragana
Katakana
Squid
Hiragana
Katakana
Whale
Hiragana
Katakana
Dolphin
Hiragana
Katakana (Standard)
Seafood Culture: Many sea creature names are essential for ordering food in Japan
Fishing Tradition: Japan’s island culture makes sea animals very important in daily vocabulary
6. Birds (鳥類)
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparrow | 雀 | すずめ | suzume | Very common in Japan |
| Crow | 烏 | からす | karasu | Intelligent city birds |
| Eagle | 鷲 | わし | washi | Symbol of power |
| Owl | 梟 | ふくろう | fukurou | Symbol of wisdom |
| Crane | 鶴 | つる | tsuru | Symbol of longevity |
| Penguin | 企鵝 | ぺんぎん | pengin | Usually written in katakana |
Birds in Japanese Culture
Symbolic Meaning: Many birds have deep cultural significance in Japan
Crane (鶴): Symbol of longevity and good fortune
Sparrow (雀): Common in everyday life and folklore
Crow (烏): Intelligent but sometimes seen as ominous
7. Insects (昆虫)
Butterfly
Hiragana
Katakana
Bee
Hiragana
Katakana
Dragonfly
Hiragana
Katakana
Cicada
Hiragana
Katakana
More Insects
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ant | 蟻 | あり | ari |
| Spider | 蜘蛛 | くも | kumo |
| Mosquito | 蚊 | か | ka |
| Fly | 蝿 | はえ | hae |
Insects in Japanese Culture
Summer Sounds: Cicadas (蝉) are the iconic sound of Japanese summer
Dragonfly (蜻蛉): Symbol of courage and strength in samurai culture
Butterfly (蝶): Symbol of transformation and the soul
8. Animal Sounds (動物の鳴き声)
Onomatopoeia for Animal Sounds
Japanese animal sounds are different from English!
| Animal | Japanese Sound | Romaji | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog (犬) | ワンワン | wan wan | woof woof |
| Cat (猫) | ニャーニャー | nyaa nyaa | meow meow |
| Cow (牛) | モーモー | moo moo | moo moo |
| Pig (豚) | ブーブー | buu buu | oink oink |
| Bird (鳥) | チュンチュン | chun chun | tweet tweet |
| Frog (蛙) | ケロケロ | kero kero | ribbit ribbit |
| Duck (鴨) | ガーガー | gaa gaa | quack quack |
| Lion (ライオン) | ガオー | gaoo | roar |
9. Cultural Context
Animals in Japanese Folklore
Fox (狐 – Kitsune): Intelligent spirit creatures with magical powers
Crane (鶴 – Tsuru): Symbol of longevity; folding 1000 paper cranes grants a wish
Turtle (亀 – Kame): Symbol of longevity and wisdom
Tiger (虎 – Tora): Symbol of power and protection
Dragon (龍 – Ryuu): Benevolent water deity, different from Western dragons
Zodiac Animals (十二支)
The 12 zodiac animals appear in Japanese New Year traditions:
鼠 (nezumi) – Rat, 牛 (ushi) – Ox, 虎 (tora) – Tiger, 兎 (usagi) – Rabbit
龍 (ryuu) – Dragon, 蛇 (hebi) – Snake, 馬 (uma) – Horse, 羊 (hitsuji) – Sheep
猿 (saru) – Monkey, 鶏 (tori) – Rooster, 犬 (inu) – Dog, 猪 (inoshishi) – Boar
Modern Animal Culture
Pet Culture: Japan has a strong pet culture with many animal cafes
Kawaii Culture: Cute animal characters are central to Japanese pop culture
Conservation: Many Japanese animals like the Japanese macaque and Iriomote cat are protected
Anime & Manga: Animals often play important roles in Japanese media
10. Practice & Examples
Common Animal Conversations
Asking about pets:
A: ペットを かっていますか？
Do you have any pets?
B: はい、ねこを かっています。
Yes, I have a cat.
At the zoo:
A: あの おおきい どうぶつは なんですか？
What is that big animal?
B: ぞうです。とても おおきいですね。
It’s an elephant. It’s very big, isn’t it?
Animal Description Examples
| Animal | Japanese Description | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Cat | ねこは かわいいです | Cats are cute |
| Lion | らいおんは つよいです | Lions are strong |
| Elephant | ぞうは おおきいです | Elephants are big |
| Rabbit | うさぎは はやいです | Rabbits are fast |
Useful Animal Phrases
どうぶつが すきです – I like animals
どうぶつえんに いきます – I’m going to the zoo
ペットショップ – Pet shop
やせい の どうぶつ – Wild animals
かいもの の どうぶつ – Domestic animals
Memory Techniques
Start with Common Pets: Begin with いぬ (dog) and ねこ (cat) as foundation
Group by Environment: Learn farm animals together, then wild animals
Use Animal Sounds: Connect animals with their Japanese sounds for better memory
Cultural Connections: Remember animals through their cultural significance
Writing Practice: Practice kanji with simple animal characters like 犬, 猫, 魚
Animal Kingdom Mastered!
You’ve learned essential Japanese animal vocabulary across multiple writing systems. Now you can talk about pets, visit zoos, and understand animal references in Japanese culture!
Animals Quiz
Test Your Knowledge of Japanese Animal Vocabulary
Exercise 1: Basic Pets
What is the Japanese word for “dog”?
Explanation: いぬ (犬) means dog. ねこ is cat and とり is bird.
Exercise 2: Kanji Recognition
What does this kanji mean: 猫
Explanation: 猫 (ねこ – neko) means cat. This is one of the most common animal kanji.
Exercise 3: Farm Animals
How do you say “cow” in Japanese?
Explanation: うし (牛) means cow. ぶた is pig and うま is horse.
Exercise 4: Wild Animals
Which animal is らいおん?
Explanation: らいおん (raion) is the Japanese word for lion, borrowed from English.
Exercise 5: Animal Sounds
What sound does a dog make in Japanese?
Explanation: Dogs say ワンワン in Japanese. ニャーニャー is for cats, モーモー is for cows.
Exercise 6: Sea Creatures
What is 蛸 (たこ)?
Explanation: 蛸 (たこ – tako) means octopus. This is important vocabulary for Japanese cuisine.
Exercise 7: Birds
How do you say “crane” in Japanese?
Explanation: つる (鶴) means crane, a symbol of longevity in Japanese culture. からす is crow, すずめ is sparrow.
Exercise 8: Insects
What does ちょう mean?
Explanation: ちょう (蝶) means butterfly. はち is bee, とんぼ is dragonfly.
Exercise 9: Zodiac Animals
Which of these is a zodiac animal? さる
Explanation: さる (猿) means monkey and is one of the 12 zodiac animals in Japanese culture.
Exercise 10: Writing Systems
Which writing system is commonly used for foreign animal names?
Explanation: Katakana is used for foreign words like ライオン (lion) and ハムスター (hamster).
Exercise 11: Cat Sounds
How does a cat sound in Japanese?
Explanation: Cats say ニャーニャー in Japanese. This is similar to “meow” in English.
Exercise 12: Large Animals
What is the Japanese word for elephant?
Explanation: ぞう (象) means elephant. きりん is giraffe, くま is bear.
Exercise 13: Fox Recognition
What does 狐 mean?
Explanation: 狐 (きつね – kitsune) means fox, which has special significance in Japanese folklore.
Exercise 14: Fish Vocabulary
How do you say “fish” in Japanese?
Explanation: さかな (魚) means fish in general. いか is squid, えび is shrimp.
Exercise 15: Summer Insects
What insect is famous for making noise in Japanese summers?
Explanation: せみ (蝉) – cicadas are the iconic sound of Japanese summer, constantly buzzing in the heat.
How did you do?
Check your answers by selecting options above. Each correct answer will show in purple!
