noun
tortoise; turtle
General term for turtles and tortoises; in everyday Japanese, カメ is often used without strict biological distinction.
公園の池に亀がたくさんいる。
There are many turtles in the park pond.
亀は甲羅の中に頭を引っ込めた。
The turtle pulled its head into its shell.
noun
Slang term for a heavy drinker, from the image of a turtle's slow, steady drinking. Often used in casual, humorous contexts.
彼は酒豪で、仲間内では亀と呼ばれている。
He's a heavy drinker, and among friends they call him 'turtle'.
noun
turtle crest; turtle family crest
Refers to a turtle design used in Japanese family crests (家紋). Not a common everyday word.
この家の家紋は亀です。
This family's crest is a turtle.
Native Japanese word. The kanji 亀 is a pictograph of a turtle. The slang sense 'heavy drinker' is a metaphorical extension based on the turtle's image.