also: あなうさぎ
European rabbit
Refers specifically to Oryctolagus cuniculus, the common rabbit species native to southwestern Europe and introduced elsewhere. In Japanese, it is distinguished from native hares (ノウサギ).
European rabbits are also kept as pets.
In Australia, feral European rabbits have become a problem.
Kanji spelling; rarely used in practice. Also lists search-only kanji forms 穴ウサギ and 穴うさぎ.
Hiragana spelling; less common than katakana but still used.
Compound of 穴 (ana, 'hole') + 兎 (usagi, 'rabbit'), literally 'hole rabbit', referring to its burrowing habit. The katakana spelling reflects its status as a biological species name.