noun
polar bear
Standard Japanese word for polar bear; also called シロクマ.
See also: シロクマ
ホッキョクグマは北極に住んでいる。
Polar bears live in the Arctic.
Katakana spelling is standard; the word is usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare and may not be widely recognized.
シロクマ is a common synonym, literally 'white bear', used interchangeably with ホッキョクグマ.
Compound of 北極 (ほっきょく, 'North Pole') and 熊 (くま, 'bear').