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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "mussel" in Japanese?
ムール貝
muuru kai
In Japanese, "mussel" is ムール貝 (muuru kai).
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Pronunciation
Muuru kai is moo-roo-kai, three syllables where the long first vowel gives it a slow, shell-like weight.
Writing and usage
ムール貝 is written using kanji. It's a noun, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
ムール貝は岩にしがみついていた。
muuru kai ha iwa nishigamitsuiteita.
The mussel clung tightly to the rock.
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How to remember ムール貝
A mussel clinging to a rock, moo-roo, sounds like it's mooring itself in place, kai.
Related words
- firefly ホタル hotaru
- ladybug てんとう虫 tentou mushi
- grasshopper バッタ batta
- caterpillar イモムシ imomushi
- termite シロアリ shiroari
- wasp スズメバチ suzumebachi
- moth 蛾 ga
- newt イモリ imori
- salamander サンショウウオ sanshouuo
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about ムール貝
How do you pronounce ムール貝?
Muuru kai is moo-roo-kai, three syllables where the long first vowel gives it a slow, shell-like weight.
Is ムール貝 formal or casual?
ムール貝 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 ムール貝 written in Japanese?
ムール貝 is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as muuru kai.
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.
"Mussel" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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