鶏
niwatori[ɲ̟iβ̞a̠to̞ɾʲi]
The English word "chicken" can be translated into Japanese as 鶏 (niwatori). Wiktionary also lists 臼辺鳥 (usubedori).
Meaning: bird (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 鶏 | niwatori | [ɲ̟iβ̞a̠to̞ɾʲi] (narrow) [ka̠ke̞] (narrow) |
| 臼辺鳥 | usubedori |
The word 鶏 (niwatori) is the standard term used to refer to the bird itself. When talking specifically about the meat, you would use 鶏肉 (toriniku) in everyday conversation. For specific cuts, such as chicken breast, you can use とりのむね (tori no mune).
Which one should you use?
The term 鶏肉 (toriniku) is used specifically to refer to chicken meat.
How do you pronounce it?
niwatori
When do people say it?
A popular way to prepare chicken in Japan is 唐揚げ (karaage), which refers to pieces of chicken that are deep-fried until crispy.
Did you know?
- In some historical interpretations, the word for chicken was associated with the root for 'stinky' or 'rotting' (腐す), suggesting a comment on the bird's smell.
- The word 鶏 (niwatori) can be broken down into the components for 'garden' and 'bird', literally meaning 'garden bird'.
- In ancient Japanese poetry, the term 庭つ鳥 (niwa tsu tori) served as a 'pillow word', a poetic device used to introduce specific themes.
Examples in context
- 彼女は鶏を買った。She bought a chicken.This sentence shows how to use 鶏 to refer to the bird.Tatoeba #2290137 by bunbuku, translation #312081 by CK
- 彼女は鶏肉を買った。She bought chicken.This sentence demonstrates using 鶏 in the context of buying chicken meat.Tatoeba #87832 by bunbuku, translation #313387 by CK
- 鶏肉で、何が作れる？What can you make with chicken?This sentence uses 鶏 to ask about cooking with chicken.Tatoeba #8606885 by small_snow, translation #9232878 by CK
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A girl and a boy are looking at a picture book about animals.
- 陽葵 Himariこの鶏はとても大きいです。Kono niwatori wa totemo ookii desu.This chicken is very big.
- 陽太 Yota本当だ、かっこいい鶏ですね。Hontou da, kakkoii niwatori desu ne.You're right, it's a cool chicken.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太くんは、鶏が好き？Youta-kun wa, niwatori ga suki?Youta, do you like chickens?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、大好きだよ。Un, daisuki da yo.Yeah, I love them.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chicken” translations and entries 鶏, 臼辺鳥, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 鶏, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
