noun
sika deer; Japanese deer; spotted deer
Refers to the species Cervus nippon, native to East Asia and common in Japan. In everyday contexts, simply シカ is often used.
奈良公園にはたくさんのニホンジカがいる。
There are many sika deer in Nara Park.
ニホンジカは日本の在来種です。
The sika deer is a native species of Japan.
シカ is the general word for 'deer' and is more common in everyday speech. ニホンジカ specifically refers to the sika deer species.
Compound of 日本 (Nihon, 'Japan') and 鹿 (shika, 'deer'). The reading じか is a rendaku form of しか.