How to Say "Orangutan" in Japanese

オランウータン

oran'ūtan[o̞ɾã̠ɰ̃ɯ̟ːtã̠ɴ]

The English word "orangutan" is translated into Japanese as オランウータン (oran'ūtan).

オランウータン refers to an arboreal anthropoid ape.

Meaning: arboreal anthropoid ape (noun)

How do you pronounce it?

The romanization is oran'ūtan.

The Japanese word オランウータン is a loanword from English, which itself borrowed the term from the Malay words orang meaning 'person' and utan meaning 'forest'.
Japanese speakers often categorize オランウータン as a 'great ape' 類人猿, a term that literally translates to 'ape-like human'.
The term オランウータン is written in カタカナ, the script reserved for foreign words, which separates the animal from native Japanese animals like the サル 'monkey'.

「お前の彼女、類人猿で言うと何に似てる？」「何ちゅう質問だ・・・。うーん・・・オランウータンかな」
"What anthropoid would your girlfriend be most like?" "What a question… Well, um… An orangutan, I guess."
This example shows how to use オランウータン in a conversation about anthropoid apes.
Tatoeba #1132449 by mookeee, translation #1527922 by marshmallowcat
世界的には、オランウータンは絶滅危惧種とされています。
Globally, orangutans are considered an endangered species.
オランウータンって可愛いよね！
Orangutans are so cute, aren't they?
オランウータンは毛の色がオレンジ色です。
Oranūtan wa ke no iro ga orenji iro desu.
Orangutans have orange-colored fur.
動物園でオランウータンを見ました。
Dōbutsuen de oranūtan o mimashita.
I saw an orangutan at the zoo.

Yui and Kenta are looking at a map of the zoo.

結衣 Yui

健太、オランウータンはどこにいるかな？
Kenta, oranūtān wa doko ni iru kana?
Kenta, I wonder where the orangutans are?
健太 Kenta

あっちのエリアにあると思うよ。
Atchi no eria ni aru to omou yo.
I think they are in that area over there.
結衣 Yui

本当だ！あそこにオランウータンがいるよ！
Hontō da! Asoko ni oranūtān ga iru yo!
You're right! There is an orangutan over there!
健太 Kenta

すごくゆっくり動いているね。
Sugoku yukkurī ugokite iru ne.
It's moving very slowly, isn't it?

Sources

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