How do you say "dolphin" in Japanese?

イルカ

iruka

Noun Katakana

In Japanese, "dolphin" is イルカ (iruka).

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Pronunciation

イルカ is written using katakana. Romanised as iruka, it sounds roughly like "ee-roo-kah" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Iruka is katakana for dolphin, the marine mammal popular in shows and aquariums. It's distinct from whale vocabulary and appears often in educational contexts.

Example sentence

子供たちはイルカを見て喜んでいます。

Kodomotachi wa Iruka wo mite yorokondeimasu.

The children are delighted to see the dolphin.

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How to remember イルカ

Iruka flows smoothly like a dolphin gliding through water. Picture the sleek, intelligent marine animal leaping.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more beach words.

Questions about イルカ

How do you pronounce イルカ?

イルカ is romanised as iruka. Say it roughly like "ee-roo-kah" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is イルカ formal or casual?

イルカ 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 イルカ written in Japanese?

イルカ is written using katakana. Iruka is katakana for dolphin, the marine mammal popular in shows and aquariums.

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.

"Dolphin" in other languages

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