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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "deer" in Japanese?
鹿
shika
In Japanese, "deer" is 鹿 (shika).
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Pronunciation
鹿 is written using kanji. Romanised as shika, it sounds roughly like "shee-kah" to an English ear.
Writing and usage
鹿 is a traditional kanji for deer, frequently seen in Japanese place names and literature. The character combines the animal radical with phonetic elements.
Example sentence
鹿は昼間よく眠ります。
Shika wa hiruma yoku nemurimasu.
A deer often sleeps during the day.
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How to remember 鹿
The animal radical (鹿) points to a graceful forest creature.
Related words
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 鹿
How do you pronounce 鹿?
鹿 is romanised as shika. Say it roughly like "shee-kah" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.
Is 鹿 formal or casual?
鹿 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 鹿 written in Japanese?
鹿 is written using kanji. 鹿 is a traditional kanji for deer, frequently seen in Japanese place names and literature.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
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"Deer" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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