リヴァイアサン
rivaiasan[ɾʲiba̠ia̠sã̠ɴ]
The English phrase "leviathan" can be translated into Japanese as リヴァイアサン (rivaiasan). If unsure, use リヴァイアサン. Wiktionary also lists レヴィアタン (reviatan).
Meaning: vast sea monster of tremendous strength (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| リヴァイアサン | rivaiasan | [ɾʲiba̠ia̠sã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| レヴィアタン | reviatan | [ɾe̞bʲia̠tã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
You may also use the term 大海獣 to describe a great sea beast, particularly when discussing legendary creatures from ancient tales.
Which one should you use?
The word レヴィアタン and リヴァイアサン both refer to the mythical sea monster.
How do you pronounce it?
rivaiasan
Did you know?
- In Japanese media, the concept of a 'leviathan' is often visually conflated with the 'dragon' or 竜, meaning the creature is frequently depicted with draconic features despite the biblical origin.
- In Japanese, the concept of a 'giant monster' is often linked to the word 怪獣 (kaijuu). While リヴァイアサン is a specific mythological name, it is often categorized under the broader cultural umbrella of 'kaiju' logic.
- The Katakana transcription for the 'v' sound in リヴァイアサン uses the character ヴァ, which is a modern adaptation. Historically, Japanese speakers would have pronounced this closer to a 'b' sound, as 'v' is not native to the language.
Examples in context
- 伝説の海獣、リヴァイアサンが現れた。Densetsu no kaijuu, rivaiasan ga arawareta.The legendary sea monster, Leviathan, has appeared.
- リヴァイアサンは非常に巨大な怪物だ。Rivaiasan wa hijou ni kyodai na kaibutsu da.Leviathan is an extremely huge monster.
- 物語にはリヴァイアサンが登場する。Monogatari ni wa rivaiasan ga toujou suru.Leviathan appears in the story.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a fantasy novel.
- 陽葵 Himariこの物語の敵はリヴァイアサンなの？Kono monogatari no teki wa rivaiasan nano?Is Leviathan the enemy in this story?
- 蓮 Renそう、恐ろしい海の怪物だよ。Sou, osoroshii umi no kaibutsu da yo.Yes, it's a terrifying sea monster.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮くん、そんな強そうな敵に勝てるの？Ren-kun, sonna tsuyosou na teki ni kateru no?Ren, can you even defeat such a strong enemy?
- 蓮 Ren主人公ならきっと勝てるはずだよ。Shujinkou nara kitto kateru hazu da yo.The protagonist should definitely be able to win.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “leviathan” translations and entries リヴァイアサン, レヴィアタン, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
