How do you say "crow" in Japanese?

カラス

karasu

Noun Katakana

In Japanese, "crow" is カラス (karasu).

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Pronunciation

カラス is written using katakana. Romanised as karasu, it sounds roughly like "kah-rah-soo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Karasu in katakana is a common Japanese bird with cultural significance in folklore. Modern Japanese uses katakana for most birds.

Example sentence

動物園でカラスを見ました。

Doubutsuen de Karasu wo mimashita.

I saw a crow at the zoo.

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How to remember カラス

Karasu - 'kaa' is the cry of a crow. The katakana ス looks angular like crow claws. Crows are clever and loud.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more farm words.

Questions about カラス

How do you pronounce カラス?

カラス is romanised as karasu. Say it roughly like "kah-rah-soo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is カラス formal or casual?

カラス 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 カラス written in Japanese?

カラス is written using katakana. Karasu in katakana is a common Japanese bird with cultural significance in folklore.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Crow" in other languages

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