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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "termite" in Japanese?
シロアリ
shiroari
In Japanese, "termite" is シロアリ (shiroari).
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Pronunciation
Shiroari is shee-roh-ah-ree, four syllables, the middle vowel gap giving it a slight pause.
Writing and usage
シロアリ is written using katakana. It's a noun, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
シロアリが古い木をゆっくりとかじり取っていた。
shiroari ga furui ki woyukkuritokajiri totsu teita.
A termite chewed slowly through the old wood.
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How to remember シロアリ
Picture a termite munching quietly, shee-roh-ah-ree, through wood no one is watching.
Related words
- firefly ホタル hotaru
- ladybug てんとう虫 tentou mushi
- grasshopper バッタ batta
- caterpillar イモムシ imomushi
- wasp スズメバチ suzumebachi
- moth 蛾 ga
- newt イモリ imori
- salamander サンショウウオ sanshouuo
- gecko ヤモリ yamori
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about シロアリ
How do you pronounce シロアリ?
Shiroari is shee-roh-ah-ree, four syllables, the middle vowel gap giving it a slight pause.
Is シロアリ formal or casual?
シロアリ 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 シロアリ written in Japanese?
シロアリ is written using katakana. Romanised, it reads as shiroari.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Termite" in other languages
Curated by Jack Ratcliffe
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