Animal Names in Japanese

Animals always deliver as a nice topic of conversation to get some small talk going. Watching cat videos in Japanese is just one of many more reasons to learn all basic animal names in Japanese. For even more animals, take a look at our learning resources for Japanese at the end of the page.
20 Common Animal Names in Japanese
Animal Related Words in Japanese
Mammals in Japanese
Birds in Japanese
Insects in Japanese
Marine Animals in Japanese


20 Common Animal Names in Japanese


EnglishJapanese  
dog in Japanese犬 (inu)
cow in Japanese牛 (ushi)
pig in Japanese豚 (buta)
cat in Japanese猫 (neko)
sheep in Japanese羊 (hitsuji)
horse in Japanese馬 (uma)
monkey in Japanese猿 (saru)
bear in Japanese熊 (kuma)
fish in Japanese魚 (sakana)
lion in Japaneseライオン (raion)
tiger in Japanese虎 (tora)
elephant in Japanese象 (zō)
mouse in Japaneseねずみ (nezumi)
pigeon in Japanese鳩 (hato)
snail in Japaneseカタツムリ (katatsumuri)
spider in Japanese蜘蛛 (kumo)
frog in Japaneseカエル (kaeru)
snake in Japaneseヘビ (hebi)
crocodile in Japaneseワニ (wani)
tortoise in Japanese陸亀 (rikugame)


Animal Names in JapaneseYouTube

Animal Related Words in Japanese


EnglishJapanese  
animal in Japanese動物 (dōbutsu)
mammal in Japanese哺乳類 (honyūrui)
bird in Japanese鳥 (tori)
insect in Japanese昆虫 (konchū)
reptile in Japanese爬虫類 (hachūrui)
zoo in Japanese動物園 (dōbutsu en)
vet in Japanese獣医 (jūi)
farm in Japanese農場 (nōjō)
forest in Japanese森 (mori)
river in Japanese川 (kawa)
lake in Japanese湖 (mizuumi)
desert in Japanese砂漠 (sabaku)
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Mammals in Japanese


EnglishJapanese  
panda in Japaneseパンダ (panda)
giraffe in Japaneseキリン (kirin)
camel in Japaneseらくだ (rakuda)
wolf in Japanese狼 (ōkami)
zebra in Japaneseシマウマ (shimauma)
polar bear in Japaneseシロクマ (shirokuma)
kangaroo in Japaneseカンガルー (kangarū)
rhino in Japaneseサイ (sai)
leopard in Japaneseヒョウ (hyō)
cheetah in Japaneseチーター (chītā)
donkey in Japaneseロバ (roba)
squirrel in Japaneseリス (risu)
bat in Japaneseコウモリ (kōmori)
fox in Japaneseきつね (kitsune)
hedgehog in Japaneseハリネズミ (harinezumi)
otter in Japaneseかわうそ (kawauso)

Birds in Japanese


EnglishJapanese  
duck in Japanese鴨 (kamo)
chicken in Japanese鶏 (niwatori)
goose in Japaneseガチョウ (gachō)
owl in Japaneseフクロウ (fukurō)
swan in Japanese白鳥 (hakuchō)
penguin in Japaneseペンギン (pengin)
ostrich in Japaneseダチョウ (dachō)
raven in Japaneseカラス (karasu)
pelican in Japaneseペリカン (perikan)
flamingo in Japaneseフラミンゴ (furamingo)

Insects in Japanese


EnglishJapanese  
fly in Japaneseハエ (hae)
butterfly in Japanese蝶 (chō)
bee in Japanese蜂 (hachi)
mosquito in Japanese蚊 (ka)
ant in Japaneseアリ (ari)
dragonfly in Japaneseとんぼ (tonbo)
grasshopper in Japaneseバッタ (batta)
caterpillar in Japaneseあおむし (aomushi)
termite in Japaneseシロアリ (shiroari)
ladybird in Japaneseてんとうむし (tentō mushi)

Marine Animals in Japanese


EnglishJapanese  
whale in Japanese鯨 (kujira)
shark in Japaneseサメ (same)
dolphin in Japaneseイルカ (iruka)
seal in Japaneseアザラシ (azarashi)
jellyfish in Japaneseクラゲ (kurage)
octopus in Japaneseたこ (tako)
turtle in Japanese亀 (kame)
starfish in Japaneseヒトデ (hitode)
crab in Japaneseカニ (kani)


Animal Names in Japanese

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