How do you say "rabbit" in Japanese?

ウサギ

usagi

Noun Katakana

In Japanese, "rabbit" is ウサギ (usagi).

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Pronunciation

ウサギ is written using katakana. Romanised as usagi, it sounds roughly like "oo-sah-gee" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Usagi is katakana for rabbit. Despite the many rabbits in Japanese folklore, the modern term uses katakana, showing influence from Western terminology.

Example sentence

ウサギが草原を走っています。

Usagi ga sogen wo hashitte imasu.

A rabbit is running across the field.

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How to remember ウサギ

Katakana marks 'rabbit' as the modern term, distinct from older mythological references.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more farm words.

Questions about ウサギ

How do you pronounce ウサギ?

ウサギ is romanised as usagi. Say it roughly like "oo-sah-gee" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is ウサギ formal or casual?

ウサギ 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 ウサギ written in Japanese?

ウサギ is written using katakana. Usagi is katakana for rabbit.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Rabbit" in other languages

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