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Kotomora

猫

cat

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • ビョウ

Kun'yomi

  • ねこ

Meaning

猫 centers on the domestic cat as an animal. The meaning is straightforward and specific to the feline creature.

Most common words using 猫

20 of 145
  • 猫ねこ
    N5

    cat (esp. the domestic cat, Felis catus); feline

  • 子猫こねこ

    kitten

  • 野良猫のらねこ

    stray cat; alley cat

  • 猫背ねこぜ
    N1

    bent back; hunchback; stoop

  • 招き猫まねきねこ

    beckoning cat; figure of a cat with one paw raised (usu. white porcelain)

  • 山猫やまねこ

    wildcat (European wildcat, Iriomote cat, Tsushima cat, etc.)

  • 猫娘ねこむすめ

    catgirl; character who looks, acts, etc. like a cat

  • 猫又ねこまた

    nekomata; fork-tailed cat yōkai

  • 猫じゃらしねこじゃらし

    green foxtail (Setaria viridis); green bristlegrass

  • 猫舌ねこじた
    N1

    dislike of very hot food or drink; inability to take hot food; cat tongue

  • 海猫うみねこ

    black-tailed gull (Larus crassirostris)

  • 猫かぶりねこかぶり

    feigned innocence; feigned gentleness; fake modesty; put-on; wolf in sheep's clothing

  • 麝香猫じゃこうねこ

    civet cat

  • 家猫いえねこ

    cat (Felis catus); domestic cat

  • 対馬山猫つしまやまねこ

    Amur leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus); Tsushima leopard cat

  • 砂猫すなねこ

    sand cat (Felis margarita); sand dune cat

  • 猫島ねこじま

    cat island; island with a large domestic cat population

  • 黒猫くろねこ

    black cat

  • 飼い猫かいねこ

    pet cat

  • 猫に小判ねこにこばん
    N1

    casting pearls before swine; (giving) a gold coin to a cat

Explore all words using 猫 →

Study

Etymology

猫 combines the animal radical 犭 (beast) with 苗, which likely contributes the sound ビョウ. The character originally referred to a cat-like animal.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 犭 is the animal radical, and the right side 苗 looks like a seedling in a field. Picture a cat hiding among the seedlings in a garden, peeking out like a little beast.

Reading mnemonic

For ビョウ, imagine a cat letting out a soft 'byou' sound as it meows. The sound 'byou' cues ビョウ, like a cat's gentle cry.