The general word for an animal is dōbutsu (動物, どうぶつ). This term covers all living creatures, from the smallest insects to large mammals. Animals play a central role in Japanese culture, whether in folklore, daily life, or cuisine. Here’s a detailed breakdown to help you learn this vocabulary.
Pets (Petto)
In Japan, pets are extremely popular. The general term is petto (ペット), borrowed directly from English.
Dogs and cats
The two stars of Japanese households are definitely dogs and cats.
Dog: Inu (犬, いぬ)
The dog is the faithful companion par excellence. There are famous Japanese breeds like the Akita or Shiba.
A dog’s bark in Japanese is wan wan (ワンワン).
For a puppy, you use koinu (子犬, こいぬ).
Cat: Neko (猫, ねこ)
Cats are revered in Japan, especially through the Maneki Neko, the lucky cat.
A meow translates as nyaa nyaa (ニャーニャー).
A kitten is called koneko (子猫, こねこ).
Other common pets
There are other frequent companions in Japanese homes.
- Rabbit: Usagi (兎, うさぎ). Very present in folklore, people say a rabbit lives on the moon and makes mochi.
- Bird: Tori (鳥, とり). That’s the generic term. For a pet bird, people often say kotori (小鳥, ことり), meaning “little bird”.
- Goldfish: Kingyo (金魚, きんぎょ). A must-have at summer festivals (matsuri).
- Turtle: Kame (亀, かめ). Symbol of longevity.
- Hamster: Hamusutā (ハムスター). Written in katakana because the word is imported.
To expand your Japanese vocabulary related to home, these terms come up very often in everyday conversations.
Farm and countryside animals
In rural areas, you’ll find livestock. There’s often a distinction between the living animal and the meat consumed.
Cow: Ushi (牛, うし)
The living animal is called ushi. However, beef is gyūniku (牛肉, ぎゅうにく). Milk is gyūnyū (牛乳, ぎゅうにゅう).
Pig: Buta (豚, ぶた)
Like with cows, the animal is buta. Pork becomes butaniku (豚肉, ぶたにく). The pig’s sound is bū bū (ブーブー).
Horse: Uma (馬, うま)
Horses have historical importance for samurai. Horseback riding is called jōba (乗馬, じょうば).
Sheep: Hitsuji (羊, ひつじ)
Less common in traditional Japanese landscapes, it’s still well-known, especially thanks to the zodiac.
Hen and rooster: Niwatori (鶏, にわとり)
The generic term for domestic poultry. An egg is tamago (卵, たまご). A rooster’s crow is kokekokko (コケコッコー).
Wild animals of the Japanese forest
The Japanese archipelago, made up of 70% mountains and forests, has specific wildlife. These animals appear frequently in traditional tales.
Emblematic folklore animals
Fox: Kitsune (狐, きつね)
A mystical animal, the fox is the messenger of the Inari deity. You’ll find fox statues in Shinto shrines. It’s supposed to have magical transformation powers. Its cry is kon kon (コンコン).
Raccoon dog: Tanuki (狸, たぬき)
Often confused with raccoons, the tanuki is a distinct species native to East Asia. In folklore, it’s a playful shapeshifter. You often see tanuki statues with a big belly and straw hat in front of restaurants to attract prosperity.
Large mammals
Bear: Kuma (熊, くま)
Found especially in Hokkaido (brown bear) and on the main island (Asian black bear). Watch out when hiking in the mountains. There’s a popular character named Kumamon.
Deer: Shika (鹿, しか)
Famous for roaming freely in the city of Nara. They’re considered divine messengers in Shintoism.
Monkey: Saru (猿, さる)
The Japanese macaque is famous for bathing in hot springs (onsen) in winter. A well-known expression evokes the three wise monkeys: “see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing”.
Wild boar: Inoshishi (猪, いのしし)
A powerful and sometimes dangerous animal. It differs from the domestic pig by its wild nature.
Marine animals (Umi no ikimono)
Since Japan is an archipelago, the marine fauna is incredibly rich. Fish is sakana (魚, さかな).
Common fish
- Tuna: Maguro (鮪, まぐろ). The king of sushi.
- Salmon: Sake (鮭, さけ). Very commonly eaten grilled for breakfast or in onigiri.
- Sea bream: Tai (鯛, たい). A celebratory fish because its name recalls the word “めでたい” (medetai), meaning “joyful” or “congratulations”.
- Eel: Unagi (鰻, うなぎ). A luxury dish eaten in summer to give energy.
Other marine creatures
- Octopus: Tako (蛸, たこ). Main ingredient in takoyaki (octopus balls).
- Shrimp: Ebi (海老, えび). Popular in tempura.
- Crab: Kani (蟹, かに). Winter specialty, especially in Hokkaido.
- Whale: Kujira (鯨, くじら).
- Dolphin: Iruka (海豚, いるか). Note that the kanji literally mean “sea pig”.
- Shark: Same (鮫, さめ).
Zoo and exotic animals
For animals that don’t live naturally in Japan, katakana is mostly used. Names usually come from English or other Western languages.
- Lion: Raion (ライオン).
- Elephant: Zō (象, ぞう). This is an exception, it has a Japanese name and a common kanji.
- Giraffe: Kirin (麒麟, きりん). The same word refers to a mythological creature and the famous beer brand.
- Panda: Panda (パンダ). Very popular at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo.
- Tiger: Tora (虎, とら).
- Gorilla: Gorira (ゴリラ).
- Penguin: Pengin (ペンギン).
- Kangaroo: Kangaru (カンガルー).
Insects (Mushi)
Insects, or mushi (虫, むし), fascinate Japanese children in summer. Insect hunting is a traditional pastime.
- Mosquito: Ka (蚊, か). The enemy of summer. Incense spirals called katori-senko are used to repel them.
- Cicada: Semi (蝉, せみ). Their loud song is the sound symbol of Japanese summer.
- Butterfly: Chōchō (蝶々, ちょうちょう).
- Bee: Hachi (蜂, はち).
- Spider: Kumo (蜘蛛, くも). Careful, it’s pronounced like “cloud” (kumo), only the intonation and kanji differ.
- Beetle / Dynastid: Kabutomushi (カブトムシ). Literally “helmet insect”. It’s the king of insects for kids, often raised as a temporary pet.
- Stag beetle: Kuwagata (クワガタ). Recognizable by its large mandibles.
The 12 zodiac animals (Eto)
The Japanese zodiac, of Chinese origin, uses 12 animals to mark the years. Each year corresponds to an animal. The kanji used for the zodiac are different from the usual kanji for these animals. These signs sometimes influence Japanese animal names or the names given to people born in those years.
| Animal | Common name | Zodiac name (Eto) |
|---|---|---|
| Rat | Nezumi (鼠) | Ne (子) |
| Ox | Ushi (牛) | Ushi (丑) |
| Tiger | Tora (虎) | Tora (寅) |
| Rabbit | Usagi (兎) | U (卯) |
| Dragon | Ryū (龍) | Tatsu (辰) |
| Snake | Hebi (蛇) | Mi (巳) |
| Horse | Uma (馬) | Uma (午) |
| Sheep | Hitsuji (羊) | Hitsuji (未) |
| Monkey | Saru (猿) | Saru (申) |
| Rooster | Niwatori (鶏) | Tori (酉) |
| Dog | Inu (犬) | Inu (戌) |
| Boar | Inoshishi (猪) | I (亥) |
Note a cultural difference: the last animal is the boar in Japan, while it’s often the pig in the Chinese zodiac.
How to count animals in Japanese
Japanese uses specific counters (josūshi) depending on the nature of the object or animal being counted. You can’t use simple numbers (ichi, ni, san) directly. You have to add a suffix.
For small animals: Hiki (匹)
This counter is used for cats, dogs, fish, insects, and small monsters. The pronunciation changes depending on the number (hiki, biki, piki).
| Number | Japanese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 animal | 一匹 | Ippiki |
| 2 animals | 二匹 | Nihiki |
| 3 animals | 三匹 | Sanbiki |
| 4 animals | 四匹 | Yonhiki |
| 5 animals | 五匹 | Gohiki |
| 6 animals | 六匹 | Roppiki |
| 10 animals | 十匹 | Juppiki |
| How many? | 何匹 | Nanbiki |
For large animals: Tō (頭)
This counter is used for animals larger than humans or livestock: elephants, cows, horses, whales, gorillas. The kanji is for “head” (atama), but it’s read as tō here.
- 1 large animal: Ittō (一頭)
- 2 large animals: Nitō (二頭)
- 3 large animals: Santō (三頭)
For birds and rabbits: Wa (羽)
Birds are counted with the kanji for wing (hane), pronounced wa. Interesting fact: rabbits are also traditionally counted with wa, probably because of their big ears that look like wings, or for old religious reasons that allowed eating rabbit by classifying it as “poultry”.
- 1 bird: Ichiwa (一羽)
- 2 birds: Niwa (二羽)
- 3 birds: Sanwa (三羽)
Useful additional vocabulary
To form complete sentences, here are some terms related to the animal world.
- Tail: Shippo (尻尾, しっぽ).
- Fur / Hair: Ke (毛, け).
- Paws: Ashi (足, あし). It’s the same word as for human “legs” or “feet”.
- Animal food: Esa (餌, えさ).
- Cage: Kego (ケゴ) or Ori (檻, おり).
- Bite: Kamu (噛む, かむ).
- Bark / Cry (animal): Naku (鳴く, なく). This verb is used for almost all animal sounds (cat, dog, bird, insect).
With this vocabulary you’ll be able to describe nature, understand Japanese tales, and talk about pets, a universal conversation topic that Japanese people really enjoy.