毛皮
kegawa[ke̞ɡa̠β̞a̠]
The Japanese word for pelt is 毛皮 (kegawa). Wiktionary also lists ファー (fā).
Meaning: skin of an animal with the hair or wool on (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 毛皮 | kegawa | [ke̞ɡa̠β̞a̠] (narrow) [mo̞ːçi] (narrow) |
| ファー | fā | [ɸa̠ː] (narrow) |
毛皮 refers to the actual skin of the animal with the hair attached, often in the context of hunting, biology or the raw material industry.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 毛皮 (kegawa) is a compound of 毛 (ke) meaning hair and 皮 (kawa) meaning skin.
Which one should you use?
While 毛皮 (kegawa) is the native Japanese term for animal pelt, the katakana word ファー (fā) is frequently used in fashion and retail contexts to refer to fur products.
How do you pronounce it?
kegawa
Did you know?
- The pronunciation of the compound can change from the Chinese-derived 'mōhi' to the Japanese 'kegawa' depending on the historical period and reading style.
- The word 毛皮 (kegawa) is so old that it was used by the famous 13th-century Zen monk Eihei Dōgen in his foundational philosophical texts.
- The word 毛 (ke) refers not just to animal fur, but can also describe human body hair or the fine fibers of a brush.
Examples in context
- Kuma no kawa (クマの革)bear pelt
- この毛皮はとても柔らかいです。Kono kegawa wa totemo yawarakai desu.This pelt is very soft.
- 高級な毛皮のコートを着ています。Koukyuna kegawa no kōto o kite imasu.She is wearing an expensive fur coat.
- 昔は毛皮の取引が盛んでした。Mukashi wa kegawa no torihiki ga sakan deshita.The pelt trade was thriving in the old days.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are looking at an exhibit in a museum.
- 健太 Kentaこの毛皮、本物かな？Kono kegawa, honmono kana?I wonder if this pelt is real?
- 結衣 Yuiきっと本物だと思いますよ。Kitto honmono da to omoimasu yo.I'm sure it's real.
- 健太 Kentaすごく質感がいいですね。Sugoku shitsukan ga ii desu ne.The texture is amazing.
- 結衣 Yui本当にきれいな毛皮ですね。Hontō ni kireina kegawa desu ne.It really is a beautiful pelt.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pelt” translations and entries 毛皮, ファー, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ファー, 毛皮, CC BY-SA 4.0.
