How do you say "turkey" in Japanese?

七面鳥

shichimenchō

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "turkey" is 七面鳥 (shichimenchō).

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Pronunciation

七面鳥 is written using kanji. Romanised as shichimenchō, it sounds roughly like "shee-chee-meh-n-choh" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Shichimenchō combines kanji for seven (七), face/surface (面), bird (鳥), and long-tailed bird (鳥). It is a poetic compound description.

Example sentence

七面鳥が草原を走っています。

Shichimenchō ga sogen wo hashitte imasu.

A turkey is running across the field.

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How to remember 七面鳥

Seven faces (seven colors of feathers) bird = turkey. Turkeys have bright colorful plumage displayed in seven zones.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more farm words.

Questions about 七面鳥

How do you pronounce 七面鳥?

七面鳥 is romanised as shichimenchō. Say it roughly like "shee-chee-meh-n-choh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 七面鳥 formal or casual?

七面鳥 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 七面鳥 written in Japanese?

七面鳥 is written using kanji. Shichimenchō combines kanji for seven (七), face/surface (面), bird (鳥), and long-tailed bird (鳥).

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Turkey" in other languages

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