獣
kemono[ke̞da̠mo̞no̞]
The Japanese word for beast is 獣 (kemono). Wiktionary also lists 野獣 (yajū) and 猛獣 (mōjū).
Meaning: non-human animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 獣 | kemono | [ke̞da̠mo̞no̞] (narrow) [ke̞mo̞no̞] (narrow) |
| 野獣 | yajū | [ja̠ʑɨː] (narrow) |
| 猛獣 | mōjū | [mo̞ːʑɨː] (narrow) |
The term refers to a non-human animal. In a literary or metaphorical sense, 獣 can also describe a person who has lost their humanity or is acting on primal instincts.
Which one should you use?
The form 獣 is the general term for a beast or animal. In contrast, 野獣 specifically emphasizes a beast that lives in the wild, often used in fairy tales or literature. 猛獣 is used to describe dangerous, predatory animals, such as those found in a zoo or a jungle. Additionally, while kemono is the standard reading for 'beast', the reading jū is used when it is part of a compound word like 野獣.
How do you pronounce it?
kemono
Did you know?
- The word 獣 (kemono) literally translates to 'hair thing' because it is a compound of the words for 'hair' and 'thing'.
- The term 獣 is used in the name of a specific subgenre of Japanese manga and anime called 'Kemono', which features anthropomorphic animal characters with human-like personalities.
Examples in context
- 人にとって人以上に恐怖となる獣は世界に存在しない。For man, there is no beast more scary than man.This sentence uses the form 獣.Tatoeba #394467 by Scott, translation #394468 by Scott
- 美女と野獣Beauty and the BeastThis sentence uses the form 野獣.
- 「そのファンタジーの世界では、主人公は王国を救うために神話の獣と戦います。」In that fantasy world, the protagonist battles mythical beasts to save the kingdom.
- あの獣はとても速い。Ano kemono wa totemo hayai.That beast is very fast.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Yota are reading a fantasy book together.
- 陽葵 Himariこの獣はとても強そうね。Kono kemono wa totemo tsuyosou ne.This beast looks very strong.
- 陽太 Yota本当だ。どこから来たんだろう。Hontou da. Doko kara kitandaro.You're right. I wonder where it came from.
- 陽葵 Himari勇者が獣に立ち向かうシーンだわ。Yuusha ga kemono ni tachimukau shiin da wa.This is the scene where the hero faces the beast.
- 陽太 Yota続きが気になるな。Tsuzuki ga kininaru na.I'm curious to see what happens next.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beast” translations and entries 獣, 野獣, 猛獣, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 猛獣, 獣, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
