How to say "horse" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 馬うまnounThe common, default word for the animal itself. Use 馬 whenever you mean an actual horse — riding, racing, farm animals — in neutral speech or writing.
- nounA katakana rendering of English 'horse', but far better known in Japanese as the word for a hose; as a way to say the animal it is seldom what you want.
- 中石なかいしnounOnly the technical mining and geology sense of 'horse': a block of rock completely separated from the surrounding rock by mineral veins or fault planes. Never use it for the animal.
- お馬さんおうまさんnounA familiar, affectionate way of saying 'horse' — the 'horsie' of child-directed or playful talk. Out of place in neutral or formal contexts.
Use 馬 for the animal in ordinary contexts; 「お馬さん」 for familiar, affectionate 'horsie' talk; 「ホース」 is a less common loanword better known as 'hose'; 中石 is only the mining term for a detached rock block.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
