noun
Japanese hare; Lepus brachyurus
Specifically the Japanese hare, a species native to Japan. Often used in biological or regional contexts.
See also: ニホンノウサギ
ニホンノウサギは本州、四国、九州に分布している。
The Japanese hare is distributed across Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.
noun
wild rabbit; hare
General term for a wild rabbit or hare, as opposed to a pet or domesticated rabbit (飼いうさぎ).
山で野うさぎを見かけた。
I spotted a wild rabbit in the mountains.
野うさぎは飼いうさぎより足が速い。
Wild rabbits are faster than domestic rabbits.
Kanji spelling using 兎; less common and may not be recognized by all readers.
Compound of 野 (no, 'field, wild') and うさぎ (usagi, 'rabbit, hare'). The reading のうさぎ is a straightforward combination.