How do you say "mushroom" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "mushroom" is キノコ (kinoko). It is a noun.

Listen to the pronunciation:

Illustration of mushroom from Noun Town

Pronunciation

キノコ is written in katakana. Romanised as kinoko, it sounds roughly like "kee-noh-koh" to an English ear.

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Questions about キノコ

How do you pronounce キノコ?

キノコ is romanised as kinoko. Say it roughly like "kee-noh-koh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is キノコ formal or casual?

キノコ 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 キノコ written in Japanese?

キノコ 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.