インコ

イ

ン

コ

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

parakeet; small parrot

usually written using kana alone

Refers to small parrots commonly kept as pets, such as budgerigars, cockatiels, lovebirds, and similar species. In everyday use, インコ is the typical word for these birds, while larger parrots are usually called オウム.

うちのインコは「おはよう」と言いえる。
Our parakeet can say 'good morning'.
ペットショップで青あおいインコを買かった。
I bought a blue parakeet at the pet shop.

See all 19 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉がインコを飼かうto keep a parakeet as a pet
姉あねは家いえでインコを二に羽わ飼かっている。
My sister keeps two parakeets at home.
インコが鳴なくa parakeet chirps/calls
朝あさからインコが元げん気きに鳴ないている。
The parakeet has been chirping cheerfully since morning.
インコが言こと葉ばをしゃべるa parakeet talks/mimics words
うちのインコは「おはよう」としゃべる。
Our parakeet says "good morning."

Kanji

鸚parrot, parakeet
哥big brother
音sound, noise
呼call, call out to, invite

Don't confuse with

オウム
インコ refers to small parrots like budgerigars and lovebirds, while オウム denotes larger parrots such as cockatoos and macaws.
オウム
オウム refers to large parrots such as cockatoos, while インコ refers to smaller parrots and parakeets, so the two are easily confused despite naming different birds.

Counted with

羽わN3
Birds are typically counted with 羽; though small birds are sometimes counted with 匹, 鸚哥 (parakeets) are most naturally counted with 羽.

Word family· 8

セキセイインコ
budgerigar; budgie; common pet parakeet
オカメインコ
cockatiel
モモイロインコ
galah; rose-breasted cockatoo
ボタンインコ
lovebird; Lilian's lovebird
コンゴウインコ
macaw

Show 3 more

ベニコンゴウインコ
green-winged macaw; red-and-green macaw
ゴシキセイガイインコ
rainbow lorikeet; rainbow lory
ワカケホンセイインコ
Indian rose-ringed parakeet; ring-necked parakeet

Written forms

インコUsage90%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is standard; the word is usually written in kana.
いんこUsage6%
Hiragana spelling, also common.
鸚いん哥こUsage4%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; mainly encountered in older or specialized texts.
音いん呼こ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; mainly encountered in older or specialized texts.

Etymology

The word comes from 鸚哥, whose reading いんこ reflects a historical Chinese-derived pronunciation. The alternative spellings are phonetic or semantic representations of the same bird name.