サバンナ
sabanna[sa̠bã̠nːa̠]
The English phrase 'savannah' is translated into Japanese as サバンナ (sabanna).
サバンナ refers to a grassy plain in tropical regions with few trees.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is sabanna.
Did you know?
- The word サバンナ is a loanword from the Spanish 'sabana', which originally came from the West African languages of the region. Japanese adopted the term via Western influence rather than through indigenous descriptions of plains.
- In Japanese pop culture and children's media, サバンナ is often used as a shorthand trope to immediately evoke the imagery of 'The Lion King' or African wildlife, regardless of the specific geography.
- Unlike the English 'savannah', which can refer to various tropical grasslands globally, サバンナ in Japan is almost exclusively associated with Africa in the public imagination.
Examples in context
- アフリカには広いサバンナがあります。Afurika ni wa hiroi sabanna ga arimasu.There are vast savannahs in Africa.
- サバンナにはキリンがたくさんいます。Sabanna ni wa kirin ga takusan imasu.There are many giraffes in the savannah.
- サバンナの景色はとても美しいです。Sabanna no keshiki wa totemo utsukushii desu.The scenery of the savannah is very beautiful.
Example conversation
Looking at a picture book about animals.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太、この写真はどこかな？Yōta, kono shashin wa doko kana?Yōta, I wonder where this photo was taken?
- 陽太 Yotaたぶんアフリカのサバンナだと思うよ。Tabun Afurika no sabanna da to omou yo.I think it's probably the African savannah.
- 陽葵 Himariサバンナにはどんな動物がいるの？Sabanna ni wa donna dōbutsu ga iru no?What kind of animals are in the savannah?
- 陽太 Yotaキリンやシマウマがたくさんいるよ。Kirin ya shimauma ga takusan iru yo.There are many giraffes and zebras.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry サバンナ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
