How do you say "clownfish" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "clownfish" is クマノミ (kumanomi). It is a noun pronounced "koo-mah-noh-mee".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Illustration of clownfish from Noun Town

Pronunciation

クマノミ is written in katakana. Romanised as kumanomi, it sounds roughly like "koo-mah-noh-mee" to an English ear.

Example sentence

あのクマノミはとても可愛いです。

Ano Kumanomi wa totemo kawaii desu.

That clownfish is very cute.

Usage notes

Kumanomi (クマノミ) is the Japanese word for clownfish. Animal vocabulary is engaging for learners and appears frequently in games, zoos, farms, and nature programs.

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Questions about クマノミ

How do you pronounce クマノミ?

クマノミ is romanised as kumanomi. Say it roughly like "koo-mah-noh-mee" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is クマノミ formal or casual?

クマノミ 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 クマノミ written in Japanese?

クマノミ is written using katakana. Katakana is typically used for words of foreign origin or to give emphasis.

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.