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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "caterpillar" in Japanese?
イモムシ
imomushi
In Japanese, "caterpillar" is イモムシ (imomushi).
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Pronunciation
Imomushi is ee-moh-moo-shee, four even syllables that roll together quickly once practiced.
Writing and usage
イモムシ is written using katakana. It's a noun, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
イモムシは緑の葉をかじっていた。
imomushi ha midori no ha wokajitteita.
The caterpillar munched on a green leaf.
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How to remember イモムシ
A caterpillar inching along saying 'ee, moh, moo, shee' one slow segment at a time.
Related words
- firefly ホタル hotaru
- ladybug てんとう虫 tentou mushi
- grasshopper バッタ batta
- termite シロアリ shiroari
- wasp スズメバチ suzumebachi
- moth 蛾 ga
- newt イモリ imori
- salamander サンショウウオ sanshouuo
- gecko ヤモリ yamori
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about イモムシ
How do you pronounce イモムシ?
Imomushi is ee-moh-moo-shee, four even syllables that roll together quickly once practiced.
Is イモムシ formal or casual?
イモムシ is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is イモムシ written in Japanese?
イモムシ is written using katakana. Romanised, it reads as imomushi.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Caterpillar" in other languages
Curated by Jack Ratcliffe
This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.
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