海坊主
umibōzu[ɯ̟mʲibo̞ːzɨ]
The English phrase 'sea monster' can be translated into Japanese as 海坊主 (umibōzu) or 海の怪物.
Meaning: large, aggressive creature in the sea (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 海坊主 | umibōzu | [ɯ̟mʲibo̞ːzɨ] (narrow) |
| 海の怪物 | umi no kaibutsu |
Both terms refer to large, aggressive creatures in the sea.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 海の怪物 (umi no kaibutsu) is composed of 海 (sea), の (the possessive particle) and 怪物 (monster). The term 海坊主 (umibōzu) literally translates to 'sea monk', a name derived from the creature's bald, monk-like appearance.
Which one should you use?
海の怪物 is a literal, descriptive term for any sea monster. In contrast, 海坊主 refers to a specific type of legendary sea creature.
How do you pronounce it?
umibōzu
When do people say it?
In Japanese folklore, 海坊主 is a legendary sea creature with a bald head that emerges from the ocean and capsizes boats.
Did you know?
- In folklore, the 海坊主 is often depicted as an entity that demands a 'toll' from ships, requiring the crew to throw their cargo overboard to avoid being sunk.
- The term 怪物 (kaibutsu) is composed of characters meaning 'strange' and 'thing', a combination that can also refer to a 'prodigy' or a 'genius' in certain contexts.
- Some legends suggest the 海坊主 is the ghost of a monk who died at sea, blending the concept of a biological monster with a spiritual haunting.
Examples in context
- 海の怪物が遠くの島にいるそうです。It seems that a sea monster is on a distant island.
- 伝説には、巨大な海坊主が登場する。Densetsu ni wa, kyodai na umibozu ga toujou suru.In the legend, a giant sea monster appears.
- その海坊主は、とても恐ろしい姿をしていた。Sono umibozu wa, totemo osoroshii sugata o shite ita.That sea monster had a very terrifying appearance.
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are talking about a scary movie they just watched.
- 蓮 Renあの映画の海坊主は本当に怖かったね。Ano eiga no umibōzu wa hontō ni kowakatta ne.The sea monster in that movie was really scary.
- 美咲 Misakiうん、大きすぎてびっくりしたよ。Un, ookisugite bikkuri shita yo.Yeah, it was so big it surprised me.
- 蓮 Ren本物の海坊主がいたらどうする？Honmono no umibōzu ga itara dō suru?What would you do if there were a real sea monster?
- 美咲 Misakiすぐに逃げるよ、蓮くん。Sugu ni nigeru yo, Ren-kun.I would run away immediately, Ren.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sea monster” translations and entries 海坊主, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
