猫ねこ

noun

cat; domestic cat; feline

The ordinary word for a cat, especially the domestic cat. ネコ is often seen in katakana for animal-related or stylized writing.

• うちの猫ねこは日ひなたでよく寝ねている。

  Our cat often sleeps in the sun.

• 公こう園えんで黒くろいネコを見みかけた。

  I saw a black cat in the park.

noun

shamisen

Rare or old-fashioned name for a shamisen, likely to be understood only in historical, traditional-entertainment, or word-explanation contexts.

• 古ふるい言いい方かたでは、三味線しゃみせんを「猫ねこ」と呼よぶことがある。

  In an old expression, a shamisen may be called neko.

noun

geisha

Rare old slang for a geisha; do not use this as the normal modern word, which is 芸者.

• 古ふるい花か柳りゅう界かいの俗ぞく語ごでは、芸げい者しゃを「猫ねこ」と呼よぶことがあった。

  In old entertainment-quarter slang, a geisha was sometimes called neko.

noun

wheelbarrow

Abbreviation of 猫車, used as worksite or trade shorthand rather than as the most transparent general word.

See also: 猫車

• 建けん築ちく現げん場ばでは、猫ねこ車ぐるまを略りゃくして「猫ねこ」と呼よぶことがある。

  On construction sites, 猫車 may be shortened to neko for a wheelbarrow.

noun

clay bed-warmer

Abbreviation of 猫火鉢, referring to an old clay bed-warmer; mainly encountered in historical or folk-implements contexts.

See also: 猫火鉢

• 民みん具ぐの解かい説せつで、猫ねこ火ひ鉢ばちを略りゃくして「猫ねこ」と書かくことがある。

  In descriptions of folk implements, 猫火鉢 may be abbreviated as neko.

noun

bottom; submissive partner

Sexual-role slang, contrasted with タチ. This sense is usually written in kana or katakana, especially ネコ, and should not be confused with the animal sense.

Antonyms: タチ

• 彼かれはタチではなくネコだと言いっている。

  He says he is a bottom, not a top.