How do you say "mosquito" in Japanese?

蚊

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "mosquito" is 蚊 (ka).

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Pronunciation

蚊 is written using kanji. Romanised as ka, it sounds roughly like "kah" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Ka is a single kanji 蚊 with an insect radical. This tiny pest is a common household and seasonal concern.

Example sentence

動物園で蚊を見ました。

Doubutsuen de Ka wo mimashita.

I saw a mosquito at the zoo.

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How to remember 蚊

Ka sounds like the whining buzz. One syllable, one kanji, one persistent sound.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more beach words.

Questions about 蚊

How do you pronounce 蚊?

蚊 is romanised as ka. Say it roughly like "kah" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 蚊 formal or casual?

蚊 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 蚊 written in Japanese?

蚊 is written using kanji. Ka is a single kanji 蚊 with an insect radical.

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.

"Mosquito" in other languages

Curated by Jack Ratcliffe

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