ラッコ
rakko
The English phrase "sea otter" is translated into Japanese as ラッコ (rakko). Wiktionary also lists 海獺 (rakko).
Meaning: Enhydra lutris (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ラッコ | rakko | |
| 海獺 | rakko | [ɾa̠k̚ko̞] (narrow) [ɯ̟mʲiɯ̟so̞] (narrow) |
ラッコ is the noun used to refer to the animal Enhydra lutris.
Which one should you use?
While the kanji form 海獺 exists, the katakana version ラッコ is the most common way to write the word in modern Japanese.
How do you pronounce it?
rakko
Did you know?
- The kanji form 海獺 is an example of jukujikun, where the characters are chosen for their meaning but the pronunciation is assigned based on the Ainu word.
Examples in context
- あの獺はとてもかわいい！That sea otter is very cute!
- ラッコは泳ぐのがとても速いです。rakko wa oyogu no ga totemo hayai desu.Sea otters are very fast swimmers.
- 水族館でラッコを見ました。suizokukan de rakko o mimashita.I saw a sea otter at the aquarium.
- このラッコはとてもかわいいです。kono rakko wa totemo kawaii desu.This sea otter is very cute.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a nature documentary on TV.
- 美咲 Misakiあ、ラッコが出てきたよ！a, rakko ga detekita yo!Oh, a sea otter appeared!
- 大翔 Hiroto本当に、ラッコは可愛いね。hontou ni, rakko wa kawaii ne.Really, sea otters are cute, aren't they?
- 美咲 Misaki大翔くんはラッコが好き？hiroto-kun wa rakko ga suki?Hiroto, do you like sea otters?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、大好きだよ。un, daisuki da yo.Yeah, I love them.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sea otter” translations and entries ラッコ, 海獺, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ラッコ, 海獺, CC BY-SA 4.0.
