冥王星
Meiōsei[me̞ːo̞ːse̞ː]
In Japanese, the name for the dwarf planet Pluto is 冥王星 (Meiōsei). Wiktionary also lists プルート (Purūto) and プルートー (Purūtō).
Meaning: Kuiper belt object, a dwarf planet (name)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 冥王星 | Meiōsei | [me̞ːo̞ːse̞ː] (narrow) | |
| プルート | Purūto | [pɯ̟ɾɯ̟ːto̞] (narrow) | katakana |
| プルートー | Purūtō | [pɯ̟ɾɯ̟ːto̞ː] (narrow) | katakana |
The term is used to refer to the Kuiper belt object and dwarf planet Pluto.
What does it mean word for word?
The kanji components of 冥王星 literally mean 'Pluto' (the god of the underworld) and 'star/planet'.
Which one should you use?
冥王星 is the standard scientific and formal term used in textbooks and news. In contrast, プルート and プルートー are phonetic transliterations of the name 'Pluto'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
冥王星 is the formal way to say Pluto in Japanese. The katakana forms プルート or プルートー are often used in casual contexts, such as character names in fiction or pop culture, rather than in astronomical contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
Meiōsei
Did you know?
- While 冥王星 is used for the planet, the katakana プルート is the standard way to refer to Pluto the Disney dog in Japan.
- The term 冥王星 was not an ancient astronomical term but was actually coined by a single individual, Hōei Nojiri, in 1930.
- The word 冥王 within 冥王星 is also used in Japanese fantasy and anime to describe any powerful 'Underworld King' or 'Dark Lord', regardless of astronomy.
Examples in context
- 昔々、冥王星がまだ惑星だったころ、トムという男の子がいました。A long time ago when Pluto was still a planet, there was a boy named Tom.This sentence is useful for illustrating the use of 冥王星 in a narrative context.Tatoeba #3803811 by tommy_san, translation #3805442 by CK
- 冥王星は、太陽系で小惑星帯の外側に位置しています。Pluto is located beyond the asteroid belt in the solar system.
- 冥王星はとても遠い場所にあります。Meiousei wa totemo tooi basho ni arimasu.Pluto is in a very far place.
- 冥王星の写真を教科書で見ました。Meiousei no shashin o kyookasho de mimashita.I saw a photo of Pluto in a textbook.
Example conversation
Two students are looking at a science book in a library.
- 美咲 Misakiこの冥王星の写真はきれいですね。Kono Meiousei no shashin wa kirei desu ne.This photo of Pluto is beautiful, isn't it?
- 大翔 Hiroto本当に、とても神秘的な感じがします。Hontou ni, totemo shinpiteki na kanji ga shimasu.Truly, it feels very mysterious.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さんは冥王星に興味がありますか？Hiroto-san wa Meiousei ni kyoumi ga arimasu ka?Hiroto, are you interested in Pluto?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、宇宙のことは大好きです。Hai, uchuu no koto wa daisuki desu.Yes, I love everything about space.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pluto” translations and entries 冥王星, プルート, プルートー, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries プルートー, 冥王星, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
