How to say 'Turtle' or 'Tortoise' in Japanese | 亀

Wondering how to say 'Turtle' or 'Tortoise' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Turtle or Tortoise is 'Kame', written as 亀 in Japanese.'Turtle' or 'Tortoise' in hiragana is かめ.

word

亀

Meaning

Turtle, Tortoise

Reading

かめ

kame

Kanji

亀Turtle

Explanation

The Japanese noun '亀 (かめ)' refers to a turtle or tortoise. It is used to describe the reptile known for its hard shell and slow movement. In Japanese culture, turtles are often associated with longevity and good fortune. For example: I saw a turtle at the zoo「動物園で亀を見た」(どうぶつえんでかめをみた). The tortoise is walking slowly「亀がゆっくり歩いている」(かめがゆっくりあるいている). Note that while 'turtle' and 'tortoise' are distinct in English, '亀' can refer to both in Japanese, with context often clarifying the specific type.

Part Of Speech

noun

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

5658

Composition

kanji

Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 亀

This word contains 1 kanji character:

kanji

亀

Meaning

Turtle

Learn the Word 亀

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What does 'Kame' (亀) mean?

'Kame' means 'Turtle' or 'Tortoise' .

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