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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner

How do you say "swan" in Japanese?

白鳥

hakuchō

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "swan" is 白鳥 (hakuchō).

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Pronunciation

白鳥 is written using kanji. Romanised as hakuchō, it sounds roughly like "hah-koo-choh" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

白 (white) combines with 鳥 (bird) to form this kanji compound, creating a native Japanese term for the elegant white waterfowl.

Example sentence

動物園で白鳥を見ました。

Doubutsuen de Hakuchō wo mimashita.

I saw a swan at the zoo.

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How to remember 白鳥

White (白) + bird (鳥) = the graceful white bird of lakes and rivers.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more zoo words.

Questions about 白鳥

How do you pronounce 白鳥?

白鳥 is romanised as hakuchō. Say it roughly like "hah-koo-choh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 白鳥 formal or casual?

白鳥 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 白鳥 written in Japanese?

白鳥 is written using kanji. 白 (white) combines with 鳥 (bird) to form this kanji compound, creating a native Japanese term for the elegant white waterfowl..

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Swan" in other languages

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