犬
dog
Readings
On'yomi
- ケン
Kun'yomi
- いぬ
- いぬ-
Meaning
犬 centers on the animal dog, a common domesticated canine.
Most common words using 犬
20 of 197- 犬いぬN5
dog (Canis (lupus) familiaris); canine
- 子犬こいぬ
puppy
- 愛犬あいけんN1
pet dog; beloved dog
- 柴犬しばいぬ
shiba inu (dog breed); shiba; brushwood dog
- 負け犬まけいぬ
loser; failure; underdog; unsuccessful person; non-achiever; loser dog
- 飼い犬かいいぬ
pet dog
- 野良犬のらいぬ
stray dog
- 猟犬りょうけん
hound; hunting dog; gun dog
- 狂犬病きょうけんびょう
rabies
- 盲導犬もうどうけん
guide dog; seeing-eye dog
- 番犬ばんけん
watchdog; guard dog
- 狂犬きょうけん
mad dog
- 野犬やけん
stray dog; ownerless dog
- 犬猿けんえん
cats and dogs (as an example of a bad relationship); dogs and monkeys
- 狛犬こまいぬ
(stone) guardian lion-dogs at a Shinto shrine
- 犬歯けんし
eyetooth; cuspid; canine (tooth); dogtooth
- 犬ぞりいぬぞり
dog sled; dog sleigh
- 名犬めいけん
fine dog
- 山犬やまいぬ
Japanese wolf (Canis lupus hodophilax, extinct)
- 闘犬とうけん
dogfight; dogfighting
Study
Etymology
犬 is a pictograph of a dog, with the modern form showing a stylized body and a dot representing the ear or a distinguishing mark.
Meaning mnemonic
The shape 犬 looks like a person 大 with a dot marking the dog's ear or collar. See the dot and think of a dog.
Reading mnemonic
For ケン, imagine a dog named Ken: Ken -> ケン, and Ken the dog is right there in the shape.