How do you say "towel" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "towel" is タオル (taoru). It is a noun.

Listen to the pronunciation:

Illustration of towel from Noun Town

Pronunciation

タオル is written in katakana. Romanised as taoru, it sounds roughly like "tah-oh-roo" to an English ear.

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Questions about タオル

How do you pronounce タオル?

タオル is romanised as taoru. Say it roughly like "tah-oh-roo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is タオル formal or casual?

タオル 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 タオル written in Japanese?

タオル 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.