How do you say "rhino" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "rhino" is サイ (sai). It is a noun pronounced "sah-ee".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Illustration of rhino from Noun Town

Pronunciation

サイ is written in katakana. Romanised as sai, it sounds roughly like "sah-ee" to an English ear.

Example sentence

サイは昼間よく眠ります。

Sai wa hiruma yoku nemurimasu.

A rhino often sleeps during the day.

Usage notes

Sai (サイ) is the Japanese word for rhino. Animal vocabulary is engaging for learners and appears frequently in games, zoos, farms, and nature programs.

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Questions about サイ

How do you pronounce サイ?

サイ is romanised as sai. Say it roughly like "sah-ee" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is サイ formal or casual?

サイ 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 サイ written in Japanese?

サイ 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.