にゃん

also: にゃーん · にゃあん

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Onomatopoeic representation of a cat's meow. Used in casual speech, manga, and children's contexts.

猫ねこがにゃんと鳴ないた。
The cat meowed.

2

children's languageonomatopoeic or mimetic word

Childish or affectionate word for a cat, similar to 'kitty' in English. Used by or with young children.

あそこににゃんがいるよ。
There's a kitty over there.

Usage patterns

〈猫ねこ〉がにゃんと鳴なくa cat meows (nyan)
子こ猫ねこがにゃんと鳴ないた。
The kitten went 'nyan'.

Related words

にゃ sense 1
にゃん and にゃあ both imitate a cat's meow, but にゃあ tends to sound shorter and sharper while にゃん feels softer and more drawn-out.
猫ねこN5sense 2
猫 is the plain, standard word for 'cat', while にゃん is a childish or affectionate nickname for a cat, like 'kitty'.
にゃんにゃん sense 1
にゃんにゃん is a doubled, extra-cute version of にゃん, often used by or toward small children when talking about cat sounds or cats themselves.
にゃー
にゃー is the standard onomatopoeia for a cat's meow, while にゃん sounds cuter and more childish, often used in affectionate or playful contexts.

Word family

にゃんにゃん
meow; miaow · cat (child's word) · sexual intercourse; making out
にゃんにゃ
kitty; pussycat
ゴロにゃん
purring

Written forms

にゃんUsage41%
Standard hiragana spelling for the cat sound and the child word for cat.
ニャンUsage57%
Katakana variant, often used for emphasis or in manga.
ニャーンUsage2%
Katakana drawn-out meow.
にゃーん
Drawn-out meow sound.
にゃあん
Less common variant of the meow sound.

Etymology

Onomatopoeic origin, imitating the sound of a cat. The noun sense derives from the sound via children's language.