猿

• Reading: さる
• Romaji: saru
• Kanji breakdown: 猿 (saru/en) — monkey; composed of 犭 (animal radical) + 袁 (phonetic)
• Pronunciation: /sa.ɾɯ/

Meaning

Monkey; ape. Especially refers to the Japanese macaque, a common primate native to Japan.

Japanese macaques (ニホンザル) are famous for bathing in hot springs. The proverb 猿も木から落ちる (even monkeys fall from trees) means everyone makes mistakes. The word also appears in the idiom 犬猿の仲 (cat-and-dog relationship — literally dog-and-monkey).

Examples

1. 温泉に入っている猿の写真を撮りました。 I took a photo of monkeys bathing in a hot spring.
2. 山で野生の猿に会いました。 I encountered wild monkeys in the mountains.
3. 猿はとても頭がいい動物です。 Monkeys are very intelligent animals.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, animals, proverbs

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 猿 combines 犭 (animal radical) with 袁 as a phonetic component. In the Chinese zodiac, 猿/申 represents the ninth year.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal