ハムスター
hamusutā[ha̠mɯ̟sɨ̥ta̠ː]
The Japanese word for hamster is ハムスター (hamusutā). Wiktionary also lists 絹毛鼠 (kinugenezumi) and キヌゲネズミ (kinugenezumi).
Meaning: rodent species belonging to the Cricetinae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ハムスター | hamusutā | [ha̠mɯ̟sɨ̥ta̠ː] (narrow) |
| 絹毛鼠 | kinugenezumi | [kʲinɯ̟ɡe̞ne̞zɨmʲi] (narrow) |
| キヌゲネズミ | kinugenezumi |
The word refers to the rodent species belonging to the Cricetinae. In daily conversation, people commonly use the katakana form to talk about the animal.
Which one should you use?
ハムスター is the common, standard way to refer to a hamster in everyday speech. The terms 絹毛鼠 and キヌゲネズミ also mean hamster, but ハムスター is the standard choice for daily conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
hamusutā
Did you know?
- Japanese users of social media often use the term ハム活 (hamu-katsu) to describe the hobby of visiting hamster cafes.
- While ハムスター is the most common term, the older kanji term 絹毛鼠 literally translates to 'silk fur rat'.
- Japanese pet stores often use specialized terminology for different hamster breeds, such as ジャンガリアン for Djungarian hamsters.
Examples in context
- トムはハムスターを飼っています。Tom has a hamster.This sentence is useful for stating that someone owns a ハムスター.Tatoeba #12324572 by bunbuku, translation #10767770 by CK
- ハムスターの金玉が片方肥大しています。My hamster has a swollen testicle on one side.This sentence is useful for describing a medical condition regarding a ハムスター.Tatoeba #401907 by Grayster, translation #401908 by Grayster
- このハムスターはとても可愛いです。Kono hamusutaa wa totemo kawaii desu.This hamster is very cute.
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are at a pet store.
- 美咲 Misaki見て、このハムスター、すごく小さいよ！Mite, kono hamusutā, sugoku chiisai yo!Look, this hamster is so small!
- 健太 Kenta本当だね。とても可愛いね。Hontō da ne. Totemo kawaii ne.You're right. It's very cute.
- 美咲 Misaki健太くんもハムスターを飼いたい？Kenta-kun mo hamusutā o kaitai?Do you want to have a hamster too, Kenta?
- 健太 Kentaうん、いつか飼ってみたいな。Un, itsuka katte mitai na.Yeah, I'd like to try raising one someday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hamster” translations and entries ハムスター, 絹毛鼠, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
