モー
mō
The English phrase "moo" is translated into Japanese as モー (mō).
モー is used to represent the sound made by a cow or a bull.
Meaning: sound made by a cow or bull (intj)
Which one should you use?
While モー is the standard representation, you may also see もー used to represent the same sound. Additionally, the colloquial form モーモー doubles the word, which is a common way to represent the sound in Japanese, similar to how English speakers might use "moo moo".
How do you pronounce it?
mō
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the concept of 'animal sounds' is part of a much larger category called 'giseigo' (mimetic words), where the sound of the animal is treated as a distinct noun rather than just a verb.
- Japanese uses different onomatopoeia for a cow's 'moo' and a calf's 'bleat', whereas English speakers often use 'moo' more broadly for bovine sounds.
- If you see モ〜 with a wavy line instead of a long dash, it is a stylized way to indicate a more sliding or melodic tone in manga or comic books.
Examples in context
- 「モーモー」と牛は鳴いた。"Moo, moo," said the cow.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use モー in a sentence.Tatoeba #2354602 by wakatyann630, translation #2216498 by Hybrid
- 牛がモーと鳴いています。Ushi ga mō to naite imasu.The cow is mooing.
Example conversation
A young man and woman are visiting a farm.
- 陽太 Yotaあ、牛がモーと鳴いたよ！A, ushi ga mō to naita yo!Ah, the cow just mooed!
- 美咲 Misaki本当だ、可愛いね。Hontō da, kawaii ne.You're right, it's cute.
- 陽太 Yota美咲、もっと近くで見よう。Misaki, motto chikaku de miyō.Misaki, let's look closer.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太、そんなに急がないで。Yōta, sonna ni isoganaide.Yota, don't rush like that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “moo” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
