野兎(のうさぎ)

のうさぎ
noun
hare; wild rabbit
animal-mammal
1. hare; wild rabbit
A wild rabbit or hare, as opposed to a domesticated pet rabbit. In Japan, the Japanese hare (ニホンノウサギ) is native and changes its coat color with the seasons in snowy regions.
山(やま)で野兎(のうさぎ)を見(み)た。
I saw a wild rabbit in the mountains.
野兎(のうさぎ)が畑(はたけ)の野菜(やさい)を食(た)べてしまう。
Wild rabbits eat the vegetables in the field.
冬(ふゆ)になると、雪国(ゆきぐに)の野兎(のうさぎ)は白(しろ)い毛(け)に生(は)え変(か)わる。
In winter, wild hares in snowy regions grow white fur.

野兎(のうさぎ) combines 野(の) (wild, field) + 兎(うさぎ) (rabbit). Refers specifically to wild hares and rabbits, as distinct from domesticated pet rabbits.

Counter

Rabbits are counted with 羽(わ) (the counter for birds), a convention dating back to when rabbit meat was classified as poultry for Buddhist dietary purposes.

Cultural note

The Japanese hare (ニホンノウサギ) is native throughout Japan. In snowy regions, it changes its coat from brown to white in winter for camouflage.

Common collocations

Related words

  • うさぎ/兎(うさぎ): rabbit (general, including pets)
  • 飼(か)いうさぎ: pet/domesticated rabbit
  • ペットうさぎ: pet rabbit

Related Words

Related: 兎(うさぎ) (rabbit)
general
Added 2026.3.22 9:46 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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