How to Say "Skunk" in Japanese

スカンク

sukanku[sɨ̥kã̠ŋkɯ̟]

The Japanese word for "skunk" is スカンク (sukanku).

スカンク is used to refer to the animal known as a skunk.

Meaning: animal (noun)

How do you pronounce it?

sukanku

Because the word is a direct phonetic import, an English speaker saying 'skunk' clearly might actually be harder for a Japanese speaker to understand than the rhythmic 'su-kan-ku'.
While スカンク refers to the animal, Japanese speakers often use the word 臭い (kusai) to describe the smell. This word is so common that it is frequently used as a general exclamation when encountering any strong, unpleasant odor.
The word スカンク is written in katakana, the script used for foreign loanwords. This signals to the reader immediately that the animal is an import from outside the Japanese ecosystem.

スカンク見たよ。
I saw a skunk.
This sentence is useful for practicing how to say you saw a スカンク.
Tatoeba #10609108 by small_snow, translation #10609009 by CK
ポーチにスカンクがいます。
There's a skunk on the porch.
This sentence shows how to state the presence of a スカンク on a porch.
Tatoeba #11561754 by small_snow, translation #10525013 by shekitten
「さっき、外にスカンクがいたよ」「スカンク？」「うん。どっかから逃げ出してきたのかな？」
"I just saw a skunk outside." "A skunk?" "Yeah. Maybe it was running away from somewhere?"
This dialogue demonstrates a conversation about spotting a スカンク outdoors.
Tatoeba #10609111 by small_snow, translation #10610411 by DJ_Saidez
1 more sentence on Tatoeba

Yota and Yui are watching a nature documentary on TV.

陽太 Yota

この動物はスカンクだよ。
Kono dōbutsu wa sukan-ku dayo.
This animal is a skunk.
結衣 Yui

スカンクって臭いんでしょ？
Sukan-ku tte kusain desho?
Skunks are smelly, right?
陽太 Yota

うん、敵を追い払うためだよ。
Un, teki o oiharau tame dayo.
Yeah, it's to drive away enemies.
結衣 Yui

なるほど、不思議な動物だね。
Naruhodo, fushigi na dōbutsu dane.
I see, it's a mysterious animal.

Sources

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