How do you say "sloth" in Japanese?

ナマケモノ

namakemono

Noun Katakana

In Japanese, "sloth" is ナマケモノ (namakemono).

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Pronunciation

ナマケモノ is written using katakana. Romanised as namakemono, it sounds roughly like "nah-mah-keh-moh-noh" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Namakemono is a native Japanese term combining 怠ける (to be lazy) with 者 (creature). This folk etymology perfectly captures the animal's sluggish behavior.

Example sentence

あのナマケモノはとても可愛いです。

Ano Namakemono wa totemo kawaii desu.

That sloth is very cute.

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How to remember ナマケモノ

The name literally means 'lazy creature', perfectly describing the sloth.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more zoo words.

Questions about ナマケモノ

How do you pronounce ナマケモノ?

ナマケモノ is romanised as namakemono. Say it roughly like "nah-mah-keh-moh-noh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is ナマケモノ formal or casual?

ナマケモノ 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 ナマケモノ written in Japanese?

ナマケモノ is written using katakana. Namakemono is a native Japanese term combining 怠ける (to be lazy) with 者 (creature).

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Sloth" in other languages

Curated by Jack Ratcliffe

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