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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "polar bear" in Japanese?
シロクマ
shirokuma
In Japanese, "polar bear" is シロクマ (shirokuma).
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Pronunciation
シロクマ is written using katakana. Romanised as shirokuma, it sounds roughly like "shee-roh-koo-mah" to an English ear.
Writing and usage
Shirokuma combines 白 (white) with a hiragana 熊 (bear). Despite the mixed script, this native Japanese compound describes the animal's most obvious feature.
Example sentence
あのシロクマはとても可愛いです。
Ano Shirokuma wa totemo kawaii desu.
That polar bear is very cute.
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How to remember シロクマ
White (白) + bear (クマ) = the white bear of the Arctic.
Related words
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about シロクマ
How do you pronounce シロクマ?
シロクマ is romanised as shirokuma. Say it roughly like "shee-roh-koo-mah" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.
Is シロクマ formal or casual?
シロクマ 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 シロクマ written in Japanese?
シロクマ is written using katakana. Shirokuma combines 白 (white) with a hiragana 熊 (bear).
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
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"Polar bear" in other languages
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