How do you say "sea lion" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "sea lion" is アシカ (ashika). It is a noun pronounced "ah-shee-kah".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Illustration of sea lion from Noun Town

Pronunciation

アシカ is written in katakana. Romanised as ashika, it sounds roughly like "ah-shee-kah" to an English ear.

Example sentence

アシカが草原を走っています。

Ashika ga sogen wo hashitte imasu.

A sea lion is running across the field.

Usage notes

Ashika (アシカ) is the Japanese word for sea lion. Animal vocabulary is engaging for learners and appears frequently in games, zoos, farms, and nature programs.

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Questions about アシカ

How do you pronounce アシカ?

アシカ is romanised as ashika. Say it roughly like "ah-shee-kah" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is アシカ formal or casual?

アシカ 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 アシカ written in Japanese?

アシカ 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.