also: ワンこ
Affectionate, childlike word for a dog; used by or toward children, or in casual, cute speech. Often used as a pet name.
Our doggy loves going for walks.
I found a cute doggy in the park.
We keep a little doggy at home.
I played with a doggy at the park.
counter for small animals · counter for rolls of cloth · archaic counter for horses · roll of cloth
Katakana spelling is the most common and source-preferred form for this children's word.
Hiragana spelling; also common, especially in casual or child-oriented writing.
Kanji spelling with katakana reading; very rare and mostly a playful variant.
Kanji spelling with hiragana reading; very rare and mostly a playful variant.
Derived from the onomatopoeia ワン (woof) plus the diminutive suffix 子 (こ), creating a cute, childlike word for a dog.