Translation guide
The activity of pursuing and killing or capturing wild animals. In Japanese, the most common word is 狩り (kari), but expressions vary depending on what is being hunted and the context.
Referring to the act of hunting wild animals for sport, food, or population control.
The most general and common word for hunting. Can be used as a noun or as part of compound verbs.
父は週末によく狩りに行きます。
My father often goes hunting on weekends.
狩りはこの地域では伝統的な活動です。
Hunting is a traditional activity in this region.
A more formal or technical term for hunting, often used in legal, official, or wildlife management contexts.
この地域では狩猟が禁止されています。
Hunting is prohibited in this area.
狩猟免許を取得するには試験に合格する必要があります。
You need to pass an exam to get a hunting license.
A common verb phrase meaning 'to hunt' or 'to go hunting'. More colloquial than 狩猟する.
彼は若い頃、よく山で狩りをしていた。
He used to hunt in the mountains when he was young.
Specifying the target animal being hunted. In Japanese, this is often expressed by combining the animal name with 狩り.
Attach 狩り to the name of the animal to indicate hunting that specific animal. Common examples include 鹿狩り (deer hunting), 猪狩り (boar hunting), 鴨狩り (duck hunting).
秋になると、鹿狩りが解禁されます。
Deer hunting season opens in the fall.
彼は北海道で熊狩りを体験した。
He experienced bear hunting in Hokkaido.
Using 'hunting' metaphorically to mean searching for something, like a job, bargain, or treasure.
The most natural way to express 'hunting for something' in a non-literal sense. 探し means 'search' or 'looking for'. Examples: 仕事探し (job hunting), 宝探し (treasure hunting), アパート探し (apartment hunting).
彼は今、仕事探しに忙しい。
He is busy job hunting now.
週末は家具探しに出かけよう。
Let's go furniture hunting this weekend.
A verb phrase meaning 'to look for [target]'. More direct than the noun form, but equally common.
新しい趣味を探している。
I'm hunting for a new hobby.
Loanword from English, used in specific contexts like 'scavenger hunt' (宝探しゲーム) or 'egg hunt' (エッグハント). Not used for general hunting.
Emphasizing hunting as a recreational shooting activity.
Loanword often used for sport hunting, especially in contexts influenced by Western culture. Can sound more modern or specific than 狩り.
彼の趣味はハンティングと釣りです。
His hobbies are hunting and fishing.
狩り is the everyday word for hunting, used in conversation and general writing. 狩猟 is more formal and often appears in legal documents, news reports, or academic contexts. For example, 'hunting license' is 狩猟免許, not 狩り免許.
狩猟免許を取るのは大変だ。
Getting a hunting license is tough.
When 'hunting' means 'searching', do not use 狩り or 狩猟. Use 探し or を探す instead. Saying 仕事狩り for 'job hunting' would sound very strange and imply you are shooting jobs.
仕事探しは大変です。
Job hunting is tough.
I participated in an Easter egg hunt.