also: しまうま
noun
Refers to the animal; no special nuance.
動物園でシマウマを見た。
I saw a zebra at the zoo.
シマウマの縞模様は個体ごとに違う。
Each zebra's stripe pattern is unique.
Search-only mixed kanji-kana form.
Rare kanji form using 斑 (spotted); it is rarely used.
Compound of 縞 (shima, 'stripe') and 馬 (uma, 'horse'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is transparently descriptive.