Translation guide
The English word "horn" covers several distinct concepts: the animal part, a musical instrument, and a vehicle's warning device. Japanese uses different words for each, and the musical instrument sense is often borrowed from English.
The hard, pointed growth on the head of animals like cows, goats, or rhinos.
General word for animal horns or antlers. Can also refer to horn-like projections.
牛には大きな角がある。
Cows have big horns.
サイの角は毛でできている。
A rhino's horn is made of hair.
A brass wind instrument, like a trumpet or French horn.
Specifically the French horn. A loanword from German "Horn".
彼女はオーケストラでホルンを吹いている。
She plays the horn in an orchestra.
Generic term for a horn or trumpet, often used in casual contexts or for toy horns.
The device on a car, bicycle, or other vehicle that makes a warning sound.
Most common word for a car horn. From "klaxon".
後ろの車がクラクションを鳴らした。
The car behind honked its horn.
Formal term for a warning horn or whistle, used for trains, ships, or in official contexts.
Loanword from English, sometimes used for musical car horns or in product names.
The substance from animal horns used to make objects.
Same word as animal horn; context clarifies the material sense.
この櫛は角でできている。
This comb is made of horn.
Specifically horn as a material for crafting.
角材を使った工芸品。
Crafts made from horn material.
These three words are not interchangeable. 角 is for animal horns, ホルン is for the musical instrument (especially French horn), and クラクション is for vehicle horns. Using the wrong one can cause confusion.
Although ホルン comes from 'horn', it almost exclusively means the musical instrument. For a car horn, use クラクション.
タクシーの運転手がクラクションを鳴らした。
The taxi driver honked the horn.
ヤギの角は曲がっている。
A goat's horns are curved.
彼はホルンを演奏する。
He plays the French horn.
The child is playing with a toy horn.
Technical term for brass instruments as a category.
トランペットは金管楽器の一種だ。
The trumpet is a type of brass instrument.
船が警笛を鳴らして出港した。
The ship sounded its horn and departed.
That car has a weird horn.