How to say "merry-go-round" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounCovers the ride itself: the revolving platform with horse-shaped seats at an amusement park or fair. A katakana borrowing of the English phrase, it is a less common way to name the ride.
- 回転木馬かいてんもくばnounAlso names the same ride. The kanji compound reads literally as 'revolving wooden horse,' a nod to the horse mounts; it is likewise a less common term, offering a Japanese-made alternative to the loanword.
Both words cover the same sense of 'merry-go-round' — the amusement-park ride with revolving, horse-shaped seats — so the choice is stylistic: the katakana loanword 「メリーゴーランド」 versus the kanji compound 回転木馬, both less common.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
