野兎
nousagi[no̞ɯ̟sa̠ɡʲi]
The English word 'hare' is translated into Japanese as 野兎 (nousagi). Wiktionary also lists 野ウサギ (nousagi) and 兎 (usagi).
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 野兎 | nousagi | [no̞ɯ̟sa̠ɡʲi] (narrow) [ja̠to̞] (narrow) |
| 野ウサギ | nousagi | |
| 兎 | usagi | [ɯ̟sa̠ɡʲi] (narrow) |
The term is used to describe a wild hare or a wild rabbit.
Which one should you use?
While usagi (兎) is the general term for rabbit, nousagi (野兎 or 野ウサギ) specifically denotes a wild hare or wild rabbit. The spelling 野ウサギ, which uses katakana for the 'usagi' portion, is very common in scientific or biological contexts to denote the species.
How do you pronounce it?
nousagi
Did you know?
- In Japanese folklore, the rabbit is often depicted living on the moon, where it is believed to be pounding mochi rice cakes with a mortar and pestle.
- The word usagi is believed to be a 'Wanderwort', a term that traveled across ancient East Asia through trade or migration rather than developing in a single isolated place.
- In Japanese culture, the rabbit is associated with the deity of the moon and is often seen as a symbol of agility and longevity.
Examples in context
- 私はあの公園でうさぎを見ました。I saw a hare in that park.
- 野兎が草を食べている。No usagi ga kusa o tabete iru.A hare is eating grass.
- 森の中に野兎を見つけた。Mori no naka ni no usagi o mitsuketa.I found a hare in the forest.
- 野兎はとても速く走る。No usagi wa totemo hayaku hashiru.Hares run very fast.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are walking in the countryside.
- 健太 Kenta見て！あそこに野兎がいるよ。Mite! Asoko ni notousagi ga iru yo.Look! There is a hare over there.
- 結衣 Yui本当だ！すごく速く走っているね。Hontou da! Sugoku hayaku hashitte iru ne.You're right! It's running really fast.
- 健太 Kenta野兎は耳がとても長いね。Notousagi wa mimi ga totemo nagai ne.Hares have very long ears.
- 結衣 Yui本当にかわいい動物だね。Hontou ni kawaii doubutsu da ne.It really is a cute animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hare” translations and entries 野兎, 兎, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 兎, 野兎, CC BY-SA 4.0.
