How do you say "squid" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "squid" is イカ (ika). It is a noun pronounced "ee-kah".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Illustration of squid from Noun Town

Pronunciation

イカ is written in katakana. Romanised as ika, it sounds roughly like "ee-kah" to an English ear.

Example sentence

子供たちはイカを見て喜んでいます。

Kodomotachi wa Ika wo mite yorokondeimasu.

The children are delighted to see the squid.

Usage notes

Ika (イカ) is the Japanese word for squid. Animal vocabulary is engaging for learners and appears frequently in games, zoos, farms, and nature programs.

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Questions about イカ

How do you pronounce イカ?

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

Is イカ formal or casual?

イカ 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 イカ written in Japanese?

イカ 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.