鼠
nezumi[ne̞zɨmʲi]
The English word mouse can be translated into Japanese as 鼠 (nezumi) or マウス.
Meaning: rodent of the genus Mus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 鼠 | nezumi | [ne̞zɨmʲi] (narrow) [ne̞zɨ] (narrow) |
| マウス | mausu | [ma̠ɯ̟sɨ] (narrow) |
In Japanese, the term used depends entirely on whether you are referring to a biological rodent or a piece of computer hardware.
Which one should you use?
The native word 鼠 (pronounced nezumi) is used for the biological rodent or rat. In contrast, the loanword マウス (mausu) is used specifically for a computer mouse.
How does it change in a sentence?
While the kanji 鼠 is the standard way to write the word for the animal, it is also very frequently written in katakana as ネズミ when referring to the rodent.
How do you pronounce it?
nezumi
Did you know?
- The term 鼠色 (nezumi-iro) describes a specific shade of grey and was historically a highly popular color for kimono in the Edo period.
- The mouse is the first animal in the Japanese zodiac, and people born in the year of the 鼠 are said to be resourceful and diligent.
- The kanji for 鼠 is actually a combination of the characters for 'root' and 'to live', originally describing a creature that 'lives in hidden places'.
Examples in context
- マウスパットが要るなぁ。I need a mouse pad.This sentence shows how to use マウス when referring to a mouse pad.Tatoeba #9995053 by small_snow, translation #2635014 by Joseph
- 新しいマウスを買ったよ。I bought a new mouse.This sentence shows how to use マウス when referring to a computer mouse.Tatoeba #9995067 by small_snow, translation #8289091 by CK
- ミッキーマウスはネズミだよ。Mickey Mouse is a mouse.This sentence shows how to use マウス in the context of the name Mickey Mouse.Tatoeba #9995056 by small_snow, translation #7357010 by sabretou
- 私の研究の主題はネズミの行動です。The subject of my research is mouse behavior.
- ねずみちゃんが穴から出てきたよ！The little mouse came out of the hole!
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are cleaning the kitchen together.
- 美咲 Misakiあ！あそこに鼠がいるよ！A! Asoko ni nezumi ga iru yo!Ah! There is a mouse over there!
- 健太 Kentaえっ、本当？どこ？E, hontou? Doko?What, really? Where?
- 美咲 Misaki棚の下に逃げていったよ。Tana no shita ni nigete itta yo.It ran under the shelf.
- 健太 Kenta鼠よけを買ったほうがいいな。Nezumi-yoke o katta hou ga ii na.We should probably buy some mouse repellent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mouse” translations and entries 鼠, マウス, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries マウス, 鼠, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
