How do you say "sea horse" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "sea horse" is タツノオトシゴ (tatsunootoshigo). It is a noun pronounced "tah-tsoo-noh-oh-toh-shee-goh".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Illustration of sea horse from Noun Town

Pronunciation

タツノオトシゴ is written in katakana. Romanised as tatsunootoshigo, it sounds roughly like "tah-tsoo-noh-oh-toh-shee-goh" to an English ear.

Example sentence

あのタツノオトシゴはとても可愛いです。

Ano Tatsunootoshigo wa totemo kawaii desu.

That sea horse is very cute.

Usage notes

Tatsunootoshigo (タツノオトシゴ) is the Japanese word for sea horse. Animal vocabulary is engaging for learners and appears frequently in games, zoos, farms, and nature programs.

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Questions about タツノオトシゴ

How do you pronounce タツノオトシゴ?

タツノオトシゴ is romanised as tatsunootoshigo. Say it roughly like "tah-tsoo-noh-oh-toh-shee-goh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is タツノオトシゴ formal or casual?

タツノオトシゴ 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 タツノオトシゴ written in Japanese?

タツノオトシゴ 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.