In this article, we are going to learn the names of animals in Japanese. Animals in Japanese are called Doubutsu [動物]. Below we will present a huge table with animals, insects, birds and fish, for you to study and increase your vocabulary and knowledge.
Notice that most animals are written using katakana (when their name derives from another language). Some animals can be written using either hiragana, katakana, or kanji. Therefore, the table below will present both writings, but that using a certain writing will depend on the occasion.
We recommend reading: The good relationship of the Japanese with their pets
![Animals in Japanese – doubutsu [動物]](https://skdesu.futbolgratis.org/wp-content/s/2015/01/bichos-em-japones-1.jpg "Name of Animals in Japanese - Doubutsu")
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Table of Contents
Animal names in Japanese
| Rōmaji | Portuguese | Kanji | Hiragana | Katakana | English |
| Animal | Animal | 動物 | どうぶつ | ドウブツ | animal |
| Tori | Bird | 鳥 | とり | トリ | bird |
| Sakana | Fish | 魚 | さかな | サカナ | fish |
| Kai | Shellfish/Crustacean | 貝 | かい | カイ | shellfish |
| bug | Inseto translates to "insect" in English. | 虫 | むし | ムシ | insect |
| Hedgehog | Hedgehog | 針鼠 | ハリネズミ | ||
| Kachiku | Meat | 家畜 | かちく | カチク | |
| Niwatori | Chicken | 鶏 | にわとり | ニワトリ | chicken |
| Chick | Chick | 雛 | ひよこ | ヒヨコ | chick |
| neko | Cat | 猫 | ねこ | ネコ | cat |
| nezumi | Mouse | 鼠 | ねずみ | ネズミ | rat / mouse |
| stuff | Donkey | 驢馬 | ろば | ロバ | donkey |
| pig | Pig | 豚 | ぶた | ブタ | pig |
| one | Horse | 馬 | うま | ウマ | horse |
| chicken | Chicken | 鶏 | にわとり | ニワトリ | chicken |
| gachou | Ganso | 鵞鳥 | がちょう | ガチョウ | goose |
| kamo | wild duck | 鴨 | かも | カモ | wild duck |
| duck | Duck | 家鴨 | あひる | アヒル | pato doméstico |
| sheep | Sheep | 羊 | ひつじ | ヒツジ | sheep |
| ushi | Cow | 牛 | うし | ウシ | cow |
| hamusutaa | Hamster | -- | -- | ハムスター | hamster |
| dog | Dog | 犬 | いぬ | イヌ | dog |
| deer | Deer | 鹿 | しか | シカ | deer |
| rabbit | Coelho | 兎 | うさぎ | ウサギ | rabbit |
| kirin | Giraffe | 麒麟 | きりん | キリン | giraffe |
| camel | Camel | 駱駝 | らくだ | ラクダ | camel |
| kobu | Dromedary | 瘤 | こぶ | コブ | hump |
| zoo | Elephant | 象 | ぞう | ゾウ | elephant |
| panda | Panda | -- | -- | パンダ | panda |
| kangaroo | Kangaroo | -- | -- | カンガルー | kangaroo |
| hyou | leopard / panther | 豹 | ひょう | ヒョウ | leopardo / pantera |
| kitsune | Fox | 狐 | きつね | キツネ | fox |
| rayon / shishi | Lion | 獅子 | -- / しし | ライオン | lion |
| tora | Tiger | 虎 | とら | トラ | tiger |
| crocodile | crocodile / alligator | 鰐 | わに | ワニ | crocodilo / jacaré |
| hippo | Hippopotamus | 河馬 | かば | カバ | hippopotamus |
| bear | Bear | 熊 | くま | クマ | bear |
| wolf | Wolf | 狼 | おおかみ | オオカミ | wolf |
| monkey | Monkey | 猿 | さる | サル | monkey |
| raccoon dog | Raccoon | 狸 | たぬき | タヌキ | raccoon dog |
| gorilla | Gorilla | -- | -- | ゴリラ | gorilla |
| zebra | Zebra | 縞馬 | しまうま | シマウマ | zebra |
| dachou | Ostrich | 駝鳥 | だちょう | ダチョウ | ostrich |
| wild boar | Wild Boar | 猪 | いのしし | イノシシ | boar |
| "saint" | Rhinoceros | 犀 | さい | サイ | rhino |
| tsuno | Horn | 角 | つの | ツノ | horn |
| hebi | snake / serpent | 蛇 | へび | ヘビ | snake |
| kamereon | Chameleon | -- | -- | カメレオン | chameleon |
| yamori | Lizard | －－ | やもり | ヤモリ | gecko |
| slug | Snail | 蝸牛 | かたつむり | カタツムリ | snail |
| tokage | Lizard | 蜥蜴 | とかげ | トカゲ | lizard |
| kame | Turtle | 亀 | かめ | カメ | tortoise / turtle |
| koura | Shell | 甲羅 | こうら | コウラ | shell |
| bat | Bat | 蝙蝠 | こうもり | コウモリ | bat |
| chimpanzee | Chimpanzee | -- | -- | チンパンジー | chimpanzé |
| koara | Coala | -- | -- | コアラ | koala |
| chiitaa | Cheetah / Leopard | -- | -- | チーター | cheetah |
| shirokuma | Polar Bear | 白熊 | しろくま | シロクマ | polar bear |
| Arikui | Tamandua | 蟻食 | ありくい | アリクイ | anteater |
| kamenosuke | Platypus | 鴨嘴 | かものはし | カモノハシ | platypus |
| raccoon | Raccoon | 浣熊 | あらいぐま | アライグマ | raccoon |
| ```plaintext porcupine ``` | Porcupine | 豪猪 | やまあらし | ヤマアラシ | porcupine |
| chinchira | Chinchilla | -- | -- | チンチラ | chinchilla |
| squirrel | Squirrel | 栗鼠 | りす | リス | squirrel |
| goat | Goat | 山羊 | やぎ | ヤギ | goat |
| Karasu | Raven | 鴉・烏 | -- | カラス | Crow |
| Suzume | Sparrow | 雀 | すずめ | ススメ | sparrow |
| Hachi | Bee | 蜂 | はち | ハチ | bee |
| Ika | Lula | The input "魷" is a Chinese character meaning "squid." However, since there is no specific context provided in your request for translation, I will keep it as is. Here is the output: 魷 | いか | イカ | squid |
| Tako | Octopus | 蛸 | たこ | タコ | octopus |
| Ari | Ant | 蟻 | あり | アリ | ant |
| Koi | Tent | 鯉 | The translation of "こい" is "come." | コイ | carp |
| Kujira | Whale | 鯨 | くじら | クジラ | whale |
| Swan | Swan | 白鳥 | はくちょう | ハクチョウ | swan |
| Kumo | Spider | 蜘蛛 | くも | クモ | spider |
| Same | Shark | 鮫 | The string is in Japanese, which means it should remain unchanged. Thus, the output is: さ | サメ | shark |
| Yagi | Goat | 山羊 | やぎ | ヤギ | goat |
| Washi | Eagle | 鷲 | I am unable to translate "わし" as it is a Japanese pronoun meaning "I" or "me" used by men in informal settings, and does not have a direct English equivalent. It is a personal term that conveys a certain nuance in speech. | I cannot translate that as it is already in Japanese. However, "ワシ" (washi) refers to "I" or "me" in a colloquial or masculine way, particularly used in some regions of Japan. If you need further assistance, feel free to ask! | eagle |
| Koinu | Puppy | 小犬 | こいぬ | コイヌ | puppy |
| Ram | Sheep | 牡羊 | おひつじ | オヒツジ | sheep |
| Meuma | Mare | 雌馬 | めうま | メウマ | sea |
| Kouma | Foal | 子馬 | こうま | コウマ | foal |
| Herajika | Moose | This term "箆鹿" appears to be a combination of characters that don't have a straightforward translation in English. If you need this contextually translated or explained further, please provide more information. Otherwise, the term can be read as is: "箆鹿". | へらじか | ヘラジカ | moose |
| Baffaroo | Bison | -- | ばっふぁろ | バッファロー | bison |
| Biba | Castor | -- | びば | ビバ | beaver |
| Itachi | Weasel | 鼬 | いたち | イタチ | weasel |
| Ashika | Seal | 海驢 | あしか | アシカ | seal |
| Iruka | Dolphin | 海豚 | いるか | イルカ | dolphin |
| Frog | Frog | 蛙 | かえる | カエフ | frog |
| Gama | Frog | 蝦蟇 | がま | ハエ | toad |
| Sanshouuo | Salamander | 山椒魚 | さんしょううお | サンショウウオ | salamander |
| Fugu | Pufferfish | 河豚 | ふぐ | フグ | puffer |
| Chou | Butterfly | 蝶 | ちょう | チョウ | butterfly |
| Mantis | Praying Mantis | 蟷螂 | かまきり | カマキリ | soothsayer |
| Ka | Mosquito | 蚊 | The string "か" does not require translation as it is a Japanese particle that usually indicates a question. It remains unchanged in the translation. | カ | fly |
| Kouchuu | Beetle | 甲虫 | こうちゅう | コウチュウ | beetle |
| Inago | Grasshopper | 蝗 | いなご | イナゴ | grasshopper |
| Raccoon | Guaxinin | 荒熊 | あらいうま | アライグマ | Guaxinin |
| Hotaru | Firefly | 蛍 | ほたる | ホタル | Firefly |
| Hae | Fly | 蝿 | はえ | ハエ | fly |
| senzankou | pangolin (armadillo ball) | 穿山甲 | せんざんこう | センザンコウ | pangolin |
Body Parts of Animals and Japanese
Below we will provide a list of animal body parts in Japanese, but we will exclude parts that also exist in humans. If you want to see those parts as well, we recommend reading our article on: Partes do Corpo humano em Japonês – Jintai
Here is a list of animal body parts in Japanese:
- 鰭 (hire) - fin
- 角 (tsuno) - horn
- 毒針 (dokubari) - stinger
- 鋭い爪 (surudoi tsume) - sharp claws
- 羽ばたき筋 (habatakikin) - wings muscles
- 咬筋 (koukin) - biting muscles
- しっぽ (shippo) - tail
- 蹄 (higai) - hoof
- トゲ (toge) - thorn
- 鳴門 (meimon) - snout
- 皮膜 (himaku) - membrane
- ヒレ (hire) - fin
- ヒゲ (hige) - mustache
- トンガラシ (tongarashi) - spine (in birds)
- ツノ (tsuno) - protuberance (in some animals)
- 尾びれ (obi-re) - caudal fin
- 趾 (yubi) - toes (in animals with feet or paws)
- 脊髄 (sekizui) - spinal cord.
- 爪 (tsume) - claw
- 肉球 (nikukyuu) - paw pad
- 鉤爪 (kagizume) - curved claw
- Hagoromo (羽織) - feather
- 鳥尾 (torio) - bird tail
- 尾 (o) - tail
- 顎 (ago) - jaw
- 鋏角 (hasami tsuno) - pliers (like those of a crab)
- Shokushu (触手) - tentacle
- 翼 (tsubasa) - morning
- 爪先 (tsumasaki) - tip of the claw/paw
- 羽ばたき (habatakia) - to flap wings
- 指 (yubi) - toe finger
- 骨格 (kokkaku) - bony structure
- しっぽ (shippo) - tail
- 前肢 (zenchi) - anterior limbs (arms or front legs)
- 後肢 (kouchi) - hind limbs (legs or rear paws)
- 犬歯 (kenshi) - canine.
Types of Animals in Japanese
Finally, we are going to leave more words related to animals, this time we are going to leave types of animals, categories and taxonomics in Japanese.
- 哺乳類 (honyuurui) - Mammals
- 鳥類 (chou-rui) - aves
- 爬虫類 (hachuurui) - répteis
- 魚類 (gyorui) - fish
- 昆虫類 (konchu-rui) - insects
- 両生類 (ryoseirui) - anfíbios
- 無脊椎動物 (musseki-chuudoubutsu) - invertebrates
- 軟体動物 (nantai-doubutsu) - mollusks
- 淡水生物 (tansui-seibutsu) - freshwater life
- 海洋生物 (kaiyou-seibutsu) - marine life
- 爬虫両生類 (hachuurairyoseirui) - amphibians and reptiles
- 哺乳動物 (honyuu-doubutsu) - mammals
- 鳥獣 (choujuu) - aves e animais
- 有毛動物 (yumou-doubutsu) - animals with fur
- 羽虫 (hamushi) - winged insects
- 甲殻類 (koukaku-rui) - crustaceans
- 細菌 (saikin) - bacteria
- 真菌 (shinkin) - fungi
- 節足動物 (setsuzoku-doubutsu) - artrópodes
- 無脊椎動物 (musseki-chuudoubutsu) - invertebrates without a backbone
- 犬科 (kenka) - canids
- 猫科 (nekoka) - felids
- ヒョウ科 (hyouka) - panthers
- クマ科 (kumaka) - ursos
- キツネ科 (kitsuneka) - foxes
- クジャク科 (kujakuka) - peacocks
- ウシ科 (ushika) - bovines
As an extra I'll leave below a video of a friend who was inspired by this article:
