犬 (いぬ, inu) Japanese meaning: dog

犬 (いぬ, inu) Japanese meaning: dog | Kotomora

Kanji

犬dog
狗puppy, dog

Related words· 9

密みっ告こく者しゃ sense 2
密告者 is a neutral, formal word for an informer, while 犬 (as slang) is a derogatory, informal term for the same role.
ワンワン
犬 is the plain, standard word for dog, while ワンワン is the childish term used by or to small children.
ビーグル
犬 is the general word for dog, while ビーグル names one specific breed, the beagle.
ワンコ
犬 is the neutral, standard word for 'dog', while ワンコ is a cute, affectionate term used with children or in casual speech.

Show 5 more

飼かい犬いぬ
犬 is the general word for dog of any kind, while 飼い犬 specifically means a dog that someone keeps as a pet.
番ばん犬けん
犬 is the general word for 'dog', while 番犬 specifically means a dog kept to guard a house or property.
ワンちゃん
犬 is the neutral, standard word for 'dog', while ワンちゃん is a cutesy, childish term used with or by young children.
子こ犬いぬ
犬 is the general word for 'dog' of any age or size, while 子犬 specifically means a young puppy (or a small dog).

Don't confuse with

子こ犬いぬ sense 1
子犬 specifically means a puppy, whereas 犬 refers to a dog of any age.
戌いぬ
犬 is the ordinary word for a real dog, while 戌 (also read いぬ) refers to the zodiac sign or its associated time/direction/month, not the animal itself.
狼おおかみ
犬 and 狼 share the same 犬 radical and look related in kanji, but 犬 is the domesticated dog while 狼 is the wild wolf.

Counted with

匹ひきN3
counter for small animals · counter for rolls of cloth · archaic counter for horses · roll of cloth

Word family· 81

子こ犬いぬ
puppy · small dog
柴しば犬いぬ
Shiba Inu; Shiba; brushwood dog
飼かい犬いぬ
pet dog; one's dog
野の良ら犬いぬ
stray dog

Written forms

犬いぬUsage92%
Standard kanji spelling for 'dog' and related senses.
イヌUsage7%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling used in biological or scientific contexts, or for emphasis.
いぬUsage1%
狗いぬUsage<1%
Rare alternative kanji for 'dog', mostly seen in classical or literary contexts.

Etymology

Native Japanese word. The kanji 犬 is a pictograph of a dog. The reading いぬ is of uncertain origin, possibly related to 寝 (ぬ, 'to sleep') or an ancient root for 'animal'.

犬いぬ

Meanings

Usage patterns

Expressions· 16