Japanese Animals Vocabulary: 60+ Cute Creature Words
Learn 60+ Japanese animal names with cute facts! From 猫 (neko) to 犬 (inu), master animal vocabulary perfect for beginners and animal lovers.
Japan has a special relationship with animals – from the cute cat cafés of Tokyo to the deer of Nara! 🦌 Learning animal vocabulary is not only practical but also super fun. Plus, many Japanese animal names have adorable sounds and interesting kanji!
Ready to meet the animals? どうぶつえんへようこそ! (Welcome to the zoo!) 🐼
Common Pets 🐾
| Japanese | Reading | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 動物 | どうぶつ | animal | General term |
| 犬 | いぬ (inu) | dog | 🐕 Most common pet! |
| 猫 | ねこ (neko) | cat | 🐱 Cat cafés everywhere! |
| 鳥 | とり (tori) | bird | General bird |
| 魚 | さかな (sakana) | fish | 🐟 Aquarium pet |
| うさぎ | うさぎ | rabbit | 🐰 Very popular! |
| ハムスター | ハムスター | hamster | Katakana = foreign origin |
Dog & Cat Words
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 子犬 | こいぬ | puppy |
| 子猫 | こねこ | kitten |
| 柴犬 | しばいぬ | Shiba Inu |
| 三毛猫 | みけねこ | calico cat |
| 黒猫 | くろねこ | black cat |
| 野良猫 | のらねこ | stray cat |
Farm Animals 🐄
| Japanese | Reading | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 牛 | うし (ushi) | cow | 🐄 Also means "beef" |
| 馬 | うま (uma) | horse | 🐴 |
| 豚 | ぶた (buta) | pig | 🐷 |
| 羊 | ひつじ | sheep | 🐑 |
| 鶏 | にわとり | chicken | 🐓 |
| 山羊 | やぎ (yagi) | goat | 🐐 |
Zoo Animals 🦁
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| ライオン | ライオン | lion 🦁 |
| 虎 | とら (tora) | tiger 🐯 |
| 象 | ぞう (zou) | elephant 🐘 |
| キリン | キリン | giraffe 🦒 |
| 熊 | くま (kuma) | bear 🐻 |
| パンダ | パンダ | panda 🐼 |
| 猿 | さる (saru) | monkey 🐒 |
| ゴリラ | ゴリラ | gorilla |
| カンガルー | カンガルー | kangaroo |
| コアラ | コアラ | koala |
Japanese Native Animals
| Japanese | Reading | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 狸 | たぬき | tanuki | Japanese raccoon dog! |
| 狐 | きつね | fox | Mythical creature too |
| 鹿 | しか | deer | Famous in Nara! |
| 猪 | いのしし | wild boar | Zodiac animal |
| 日本猿 | にほんざる | Japanese macaque | Snow monkeys! |
Sea Creatures 🐙
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 魚 | さかな | fish |
| クジラ | クジラ | whale 🐋 |
| イルカ | イルカ | dolphin 🐬 |
| サメ | サメ | shark 🦈 |
| タコ | タコ | octopus 🐙 |
| イカ | イカ | squid |
| カニ | カニ | crab 🦀 |
| エビ | エビ | shrimp 🦐 |
| 亀 | かめ (kame) | turtle 🐢 |
| カエル | カエル | frog 🐸 |
Birds 🐦
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 鳥 | とり | bird |
| スズメ | スズメ | sparrow |
| カラス | カラス | crow |
| 鶴 | つる (tsuru) | crane |
| フクロウ | フクロウ | owl 🦉 |
| ペンギン | ペンギン | penguin 🐧 |
| 白鳥 | はくちょう | swan |
Insects & Bugs 🐛
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 虫 | むし (mushi) | bug/insect |
| 蝶 | ちょう | butterfly 🦋 |
| 蜂 | はち (hachi) | bee 🐝 |
| 蟻 | あり (ari) | ant |
| 蚊 | か (ka) | mosquito |
| セミ | セミ | cicada |
| ホタル | ホタル | firefly |
| カブトムシ | カブトムシ | beetle |
| テントウムシ | テントウムシ | ladybug |
Animal Sounds 🔊
Japanese animal sounds are different from English!
| Animal | Japanese Sound | English Sound |
|---|---|---|
| 犬 | ワンワン | woof woof |
| 猫 | ニャーニャー | meow |
| 牛 | モーモー | moo |
| 豚 | ブーブー | oink |
| 鶏 | コケコッコー | cock-a-doodle |
| 羊 | メーメー | baa |
| 馬 | ヒヒーン | neigh |
| カエル | ケロケロ | ribbit |
Cute Animal Phrases 💕
| Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 猫が大好き！ | I love cats! |
| 犬を飼っています | I have a dog |
| かわいい猫ですね！ | What a cute cat! |
| 動物園に行きたい | I want to go to the zoo |
| この犬は何歳ですか？ | How old is this dog? |
Zodiac Animals 十二支 🐲
Japan uses the Chinese zodiac:
| Japanese | Reading | English | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 鼠 | ねずみ | rat | 2020, 2032 |
| 牛 | うし | ox | 2021, 2033 |
| 虎 | とら | tiger | 2022, 2034 |
| 兎 | うさぎ | rabbit | 2023, 2035 |
| 龍 | たつ | dragon | 2024, 2036 |
| 蛇 | へび | snake | 2025, 2037 |
| 馬 | うま | horse | 2026, 2038 |
| 羊 | ひつじ | sheep | 2027, 2039 |
| 猿 | さる | monkey | 2028, 2040 |
| 鶏 | とり | rooster | 2029, 2041 |
| 犬 | いぬ | dog | 2030, 2042 |
| 猪 | いのしし | boar | 2031, 2043 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are some animals in katakana?
Foreign-origin words or scientific names often use katakana. Native Japanese animals usually have kanji (like 犬, 猫, 熊).
What's the most popular pet in Japan?
Cats (猫) have overtaken dogs (犬) as the most popular pet in Japan! The cute cat culture is real.
How do I say "I have a pet..."?
Use: [animal]を飼っています (wo katte imasu)
- 猫を飼っています = I have a cat
Conclusion: どうぶつ大好き！🐾
Animal vocabulary is fun, practical, and you'll encounter these words everywhere in Japan – from pet shops to restaurants to anime!
Key takeaways: ✅ 犬 (inu) = dog, 猫 (neko) = cat ✅ Animal sounds are different in Japanese! ✅ Zodiac animals are culturally important ✅ Katakana = foreign animals, kanji = native
Your next step: Practice vocabulary with KanaDojo →
動物が大好き！🎌 (Doubutsu ga daisuki!) I love animals!
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