How to Say "Ambergris" in Japanese

竜涎香

ryūzenkō[ɾʲɨːzẽ̞ŋko̞ː]

Ambergris in Japanese is expressed as 竜涎香 (ryūzenkō). Wiktionary also lists アンバーグリス (anbāgurisu).

Meaning: waxy substance produced by sperm whales (noun)

Ways to say it

“ambergris” in Japanese
Japanese	Romanization (Wiktionary)	IPA
竜涎香	ryūzenkō	[ɾʲɨːzẽ̞ŋko̞ː] (narrow)
アンバーグリス	anbāgurisu

The term refers to the waxy substance produced by sperm whales.

The kanji components of 竜涎香 literally translate to 'dragon's saliva incense'.

The kanji form 竜涎香 is the traditional term, while アンバーグリス is a phonetic loanword from English.

アンバーグリス is a loanword and is commonly used in modern contexts like perfumery and chemistry.

ryūzenkō

The term 竜涎香 is a direct translation of the Chinese word 龍涎香, reflecting an ancient belief that the substance was the drool of a sea dragon.
The character 涎 in 竜涎香 usually means 'drool' or 'saliva' in everyday Japanese, but in this specific phrase it is read as せん (sen) instead of the common よだれ (yodare).
In traditional Japanese incense culture, 竜涎香 is valued for its ability to 'fix' other scents, making them last longer on the skin or in the air.

最近、アンバーグリスの希少性が再評価されていますよ。
Lately, the rarity of ambergris has been reevaluated, you know.
竜涎香は非常に高価です。
Ryūdenkō wa hijō ni kōka desu.
Ambergris is extremely expensive.
香水の原料に竜涎香が使われます。
Kōsui no genryō ni ryūdenkō ga tsukawaremasu.
Ambergris is used as a raw material for perfume.
博物館に竜涎香の展示があります。
Hakubutsukan ni ryūdenkō no tenji ga arimasu.
There is an ambergris exhibit at the museum.

Two people are looking at a textbook about marine biology.

陽葵 Himari

この竜涎香って何ですか？
Kono ryūdenkō tte nan desu ka?
What is this ambergris?
陽太 Yota

マッコウクジラが作る物質だよ。
Makkōkujira ga tsukuru busshitsu da yo.
It is a substance produced by sperm whales.
陽葵 Himari

へえ、珍しいものなんですね。
Hee, mezurashii mono nan desu ne.
Oh, it's a rare thing, isn't it?
陽太 Yota

うん、とても貴重なんだ。
Un, totemo kichō nanda.
Yeah, it is very precious.

Sources

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