エルフ
erufu[e̞ɾɯ̟ɸɯ̟]
The Japanese word for elf is エルフ (erufu).
エルフ is a direct adaptation of the English word and is used in modern Japanese specifically to refer to fantasy creatures known as elves. Anime and manga often use the loanword エルフ to refer to elves. The term 妖精 is the most widely recognized way to refer to an elf in Japanese and translates to fairy or sprite.
Meaning: fantasy: magical, typically forest-guarding creature (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
erufu
Did you know?
- Japanese has no native mythological equivalent to the 'elf', so the concept was imported entirely through translation and literature.
- In some Japanese contexts, the word 妖精 (yousei) is used metaphorically to describe someone who is exceptionally beautiful or ethereal, similar to how one might call a person an 'angel' in English.
- If you see the term エルフ族 (erufu-zoku) in a manga, the suffix 族 (zoku) has been added to mean 'race' or 'tribe', turning the loanword into a formal biological classification for a fantasy species.
Examples in context
- エルフって何？What's an elf?This sentence is useful for asking for a definition of エルフ.Tatoeba #9237582 by small_snow, translation #9237580 by CK
- 私はエルフです。I'm an elf.This sentence is useful for stating that you are an エルフ.Tatoeba #13325130 by rul, translation #12331695 by Miktsoanit
- 「昨日、公園で妖精さんに会ったよ」Yesterday, I met an elf in the park.
- 森の中にエルフがいる。Mori no naka ni erufu ga iru.There is an elf in the forest.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are talking about a fantasy video game.
- 蓮 Renこのゲームにエルフは登場しますか？Kono geemu ni erufu wa toujou shimasu ka?Do elves appear in this game?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、森に住んでいるエルフがいます。Hai, mori ni sunde iru erufu ga imasu.Yes, there are elves living in the forest.
- 蓮 Renエルフのキャラクターを使いたいです。Erufu no kyarakutaa o tsukaitai desu.I want to use an elf character.
- 陽葵 Himariそれなら、このクラスを選んでください。Sore nara, kono kurasu o erande kudasai.In that case, please choose this class.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry エルフ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
