How do you say "giraffe" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "giraffe" is キリン (kirin). It is a noun pronounced "kee-ree-n".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Illustration of giraffe from Noun Town

Pronunciation

キリン is written in katakana. Romanised as kirin, it sounds roughly like "kee-ree-n" to an English ear.

Example sentence

キリンが草原を走っています。

Kirin ga sogen wo hashitte imasu.

A giraffe is running across the field.

Usage notes

Kirin (キリン) is the Japanese word for giraffe. Animal vocabulary is engaging for learners and appears frequently in games, zoos, farms, and nature programs.

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Questions about キリン

How do you pronounce キリン?

キリン is romanised as kirin. Say it roughly like "kee-ree-n" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is キリン formal or casual?

キリン 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 キリン written in Japanese?

キリン 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.