鼠海豚(ねずみいるか)

ねずみいるか
noun
harbor porpoise
animal-mammal
1. harbor porpoise
A small cetacean distinct from dolphins: shorter, stockier, with a blunt snout instead of a beak. The name literally means "mouse dolphin," from its small size and rounded head.
鼠海豚(ねずみいるか)を見(み)た。
I saw a harbor porpoise.
鼠海豚(ねずみいるか)は海豚(いるか)より体(からだ)が小(ちい)さい。
The harbor porpoise is smaller than dolphins.
北(きた)の冷(つめ)たい海(うみ)に鼠海豚(ねずみいるか)の群(む)れが生息(せいそく)している。
A pod of harbor porpoises lives in the cold northern seas.

鼠海豚(ねずみいるか), usually written 鼠(ねずみ)イルカ, is a porpoise, a different family from 海豚(いるか) (dolphins) despite the shared word.

Similar words

  • 海豚(いるか): has a beak-like snout, cone-shaped teeth, more social
  • 鼠海豚(ねずみいるか): blunt snout, spade-shaped teeth, smaller and shyer

It is found in the cold coastal waters of northern Japan, such as Hokkaido, and is counted with 頭(とう).

Related Words

Compare: 海豚(いるか) (dolphin)
general
Added 2026.9.14 17:43 · Revised 2026.9.15 22:41
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