Team Japanese uses affiliate links. That means that if you purchase something through a link on this site, we may earn a commission (at no extra cost to you).
LIMITED TIME OFFER! Click here for FREE full access to the Japanese Absolute Beginner Course by JapanesePod101. Available for three months only!
Who’s a good boy? The best feeling in the world is coming to a happy doggo, tail wagging after eagerly awaiting its hooman’s return!
Inu (犬 / いぬ) is the word for dog in Japanese, while koinu (子犬 / こいぬ) is the Japanese word for puppy. Japan is home to popular native breeds like the Akita and Shiba inu. The famous loyal dog, Hachiko, was in fact an Akita inu!
As popular house pets, there are many interesting words to describe or call dogs in Japanese. They can be based on their breed, features, and type. Let’s dive right in!
Table Of Contents
- Words for dog and puppy in Japanese
- Inu
- Koinu
- Wan
- Wanchan
- Doggu
- Kai inu
- More interesting Japanese words for dog
- Japanese words for dog according to breed
- Akita ken
- Shiba inu
- Hokkaido ken
- Kai ken
- Kishū ken
- Shikoku ken
- Japanese sayings related to dogs
- Inujini
- Inu mo arukeba bou ni ataru
- Kai inu ni te wo kamareru
- Reliable companions since the dawn of time
Words for dog and puppy in Japanese
Inu
犬
Dog
As mentioned earlier, the word for ‘dog’ in Japanese is inu (犬 / いぬ).
Its onyomi, or Sino-Japanese character reading is ken (ケン), while its kunyomi, or native Japanese reading, is inu (いぬ). If you are just saying the word ‘dog’ by itself, you would say inu. But the reading ken is used in some compound words, such as the names of dog breeds. Both readings are used when talking about native dog breeds, however, only the Shiba is typically called inu, while the rest of the breeds are called ken.
See below for more on Japanese dog breeds!
Koinu
子犬
Puppy
The word for ‘puppy’ in Japanese is koinu (子犬 / こいぬ). It is composed of the kanji for ‘child’ (子) and ‘dog’ (犬).
There are three ways to write koinu, but these different forms share the same pronunciation and meaning, more or less. You can see that just the first kanji changes, which gives each word a slightly difference nuance:
- 子犬 (the first kanji means baby, child)
- 仔犬 (offspring, child)
- 小犬 (little/small in size, not necessarily referring to age)
Wan
ワン
Woof
To imitate a dog’s bark, the onomatopoeia wan (わん / ワン) is used! It sounds just like ‘woof’ in English. Words like this are typically written in katakana or hiragana only.
It can also be written as wan wan for ‘woof woof’ or ‘bow-wow’.
Wanchan
わんちゃん
Doggie
A cute term to use with your dog is wanchan (わんちゃん / ワンちゃん). The closest translation for it is ‘doggie’ and it is used by both children and adults as an affectionate way of calling a dog.
The suffix -chan (～ちゃん) is an honorific that is used for people close to you. It’s common to call children and pets -chan because of its loving nuance.
Another similar term is wanko (わんこ / ワンコ). It is also considered children’s language but adults can use this with their pet dogs!
Doggu
ドッグ
Dog
Doggu (ドッグ) is the loan word for ‘dog’ from English. Unlike inu, doggu is not typically used as a standalone noun. It appears with other words, like doggu fuudo (ドッグフード) for ‘dog food’ or doggu kafē (ドッグカフェ) for ‘dog cafe’.
Kai inu
飼い犬
Pet dog
The Japanese word for ‘pet dog’ is kai inu (飼い犬 / かいいぬ). This comes from kau (飼う / かう), a verb meaning ‘to keep/raise a pet’. Kai inu is used in conversations about pet dogs in particular.
Similarly, the word aiken (愛犬 / あいけん) means ‘pet dog’, but it can also refer to ‘a love for dogs’. A dog lover is called aikenka (愛犬家 / あいけんか).
More interesting Japanese words for dog
- Kuroi inu (黒い犬 / くろいいぬ) – black dog
- Shiroi inu (白い犬 / しろいいぬ) – white dog
- Nora inu (野良犬 / のらいぬ) – stray dog
- Yaken (野犬 / やけん) – stray dog
- Saigaikyuujoken (災害救助犬 / さいがいきゅうじょけん) – search and rescue dog
- Hogoken (保護犬 /ほごけん) – rescued dog
- Moudouken (盲導犬 / もうどうけん) – guide dog for the blind
- Ryouken (猟犬 / りょうけん) – hunting dog, hound
Japanese words for dog according to breed
Native Japanese dog breeds are called nihon ken (日本犬 / にほんけん) or ‘Japanese dog’. Let’s get familiar with the names of six official native breeds!
Akita ken
秋田犬
Akita dog
The Akita ken (秋田犬 / あきたけん) originated from Akita prefecture, where its physical traits are suited for the cold weather. They look like bears and are one of the most popular Japanese dog breeds. It’s easy to confuse Akita ken and Shiba inu, but Akita ken are larger.
A famous akita ken is Hachiko! If you’re unfamiliar with his story, Hachiko was the loyal dog who waited for his owner, Professor Hidesaburo Ueno, every day at Shibuya station when he came home from work. This was their routine until Ueno’s sudden death at work, unbeknownst to Hachiko. He continued to wait at the station every day for about ten years until his own death in 1935.
Hachiko’s legacy carried on and his statue still stands in front of Shibuya station to this day. Another statue of him and his owner Ueno was erected at Tokyo University in 2015! Have you seen them?
Shiba inu
柴犬
Shiba dog
Perhaps the most popular Japanese dog breed, the shiba inu (柴犬 / しばいぬ) is an independent and proud dog! Their name does not come from a place, unlike other nihon ken. Shiba (柴 / しば) means ‘brushwood’ which are small, broken branches of trees that are used for firewood.
A smaller type of shiba inu exists, even though they are already smaller than akita ken. The mame shiba inu (豆柴犬 / まめしばいぬ) were intentionally bred to be tiny shiba. In fact, mame shiba cafes are quite popular in Japan! Mame means ‘midget’ or ‘beans’.
Internet sensation ‘Doge’ became a famous meme back in 2013. Her real name is Kabosu! Who could forget her silly side-eye and cute pose? Such wow! You can find her on her blog and on Instagram, @kabosumama.
Hokkaido ken
北海道犬
Hokkaido dog
Originally bred as hunting dogs, Hokkaido ken (北海道犬 / ほっかいどうけん) are built strong. Their thick coats and large paws are naturally suited for the cold weather of their native area.They are also called Ainu ken (アイヌ犬 / あいぬけん), which comes from the name of indigenous people of Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan.
Not only were they raised to be good at hunting, but Hokkaido ken make great family pets, too. Tech giant Softbank’s series of commercials starring the fictional Shirato family featured a Hokkaido ken actor named Kai-kun! His role? The father of the Shirato family!
Kai-kun played the role of otousan (お父さん / おとうさん) or the father in these hilarious commercials from 2007 to 2014, making him the face of Softbank. Sadly, he passed away in 2018, but his iconic role has since been taken over by his sons Kaito-kun and Kaiki-kun.
Kai ken
甲斐犬
Tiger dog
Kai ken (甲斐犬 / かいけん) refers to a native breed known as the ‘tiger dog’! Their coat colors look similar to that of tigers. Another name for it is tora inu (トラ犬 / とらいぬ).
These dogs are extremely rare even in Japan, but they are known to be highly independent and active mountain dogs. The characters for Kai ken have beautiful meanings: kou or kan (甲 / コウ / カン) means ‘armor’ and i (斐 / イ) means ‘patterned’.
Kishū ken
紀州犬
Kishū dog
The Kishū ken (紀州犬 / きしゅうけん) is quite similar to the Hokkaido and Kai ken. They come from the area of Mie and Wakayama Prefecture, formerly known as the Kishū region.
One of the Kishū ken’s strengths is their hunting instincts. Their energetic nature is perfect for outdoorsy dog lovers!
Shikoku ken
四国犬
Shikoku dog
The Shikoku ken (四国犬 / しこくけん) is a Japanese dog breed known for its wolf-like appearance. They were raised to hunt deer and wild boar, and are rare due to the limitations on crossbreeding.
These special dogs are also called Kōchi ken (高知犬 / こうちけん), named after Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island. Their friendly and active nature will surely warm your heart. Check out this cute, photogenic good boi named Goma-chan! (@goma.gomako on Instagram)
Japanese sayings related to dogs
Inujini
犬死に
Die like a dog
The phrase inujini (犬死に / いぬじに) is the Japanese translation of the English idiom ‘die like a dog’. It means to die in vain, or have a meaningless death. It can also mean to die in a harsh manner.
Inu mo arukeba bou ni ataru
犬も歩けば棒に当たる
If a dog walks, they will hit a stick
This wise Japanese saying can be interpreted negatively and positively. It can mean ‘bad things will happen if you try something’, or ‘good luck will come unexpectedly’.
Kai inu ni te wo kamareru
飼い犬に手を嚙まれる
To have your hand bitten by your pet dog
Did this ever happen to you? This idiomatic expression means ‘to be betrayed by a person you were helping’. It hurts both ways, human or your beloved doggo. Ouch!
Reliable companions since the dawn of time
Undoubtedly, dogs are loved to bits in Japan. Since ancient times, they were believed to repel evil spirits and proved to be loyal defenders in Japanese folklore. They make great companions, just like the corgi Ein from Cowboy Bebop, or inspire us with their unwavering loyalty, like Hachiko!
Make sure to look out for Dog’s Day in Japan: November 1st. Cleverly picked out because 11/1 sounds like a dog’s bark, wan wan wan!
Related posts
- How To Say Cat In Japanese (+ More Cute Japanese Cat Words!)
- Kawaii! 15 Adorably Cute Japanese Words
Thea Ongchua
Thea is a freelance content writer, currently majoring in Japanese studies. She likes to create art and draws inspiration from film and music. Thea was inspired to study Japanese language and culture by reading the literary works of Haruki Murakami and Edogawa Ranpo.
FAQs
Is the Japanese word for dog? ›
"Dog" in Japanese: "inu" and "ken"
How do you say dog in Tokyo? ›inu – 犬 – Dog
The word “inu”(犬) is the most common way to say dog in Japanese.
A small-to-medium breed, it is the smallest of the six original and distinct spitz breeds of dog native to Japan."Inu" (犬 or いぬ) is Japanese and means "dog".
What is dog in Japanese hiragana? ›...
Translation.
| Romaji | i | nu |
|---|---|---|
| Hiragana | い | ぬ |
| Katakana | イ | ヌ |
| Kanji | 犬 | |
| School Level | 小１ | |
Inu (犬 / いぬ) is the word for dog in Japanese, while koinu (子犬 / こいぬ) is the Japanese word for puppy. Japan is home to popular native breeds like the Akita and Shiba inu. The famous loyal dog, Hachiko, was in fact an Akita inu!
Does Neko mean cat? ›Neko is the Japanese word for cat. It can refer to actual cats or to characters in anime or manga that have catlike features. Specifically, the catgirl (a woman with cat ears, whiskers, and sometimes paws or a tail) is referred to as a neko.
How do dogs bark in Japanese? ›In Japan, dogs bark by saying wan wan (which rhymes with “on,” not “pan”). Farther south, in Vietnam, a dog will let out a gâu gâu or a sủa sủa. But if you say either of those in Indonesia, you'll be barking up the wrong tree, because in Indonesian, dogs say guk guk!
What does Ken mean in Japanese? ›Ken (拳), meaning "fist" in Japanese, see Sansukumi-ken for various hand gesture matching games.
What do cats say in Japanese? ›For example, in English cats say “meow,” but in Japan, they say “nyao,” “nya,” or “nyan.”
Does Shiba mean dog? ›Japan's most iconic dog, the Shiba Inu is known for its adorable fox-like face, tan fur and curly tail. Inu means 'dog' in Japanese, while shiba is an archaic word for 'small. ' Locals call them Shiba Inu or Shiba Ken, since the kanji can be read both ways, but often, you'll just hear them called Shiba.
What is a good Japanese name for a dog? ›
| Female Japanese Dog Names | Male Japanese Dog Names |
|---|---|
| Aiko | Aki |
| Airi | Akiara |
| Akemi | Akio |
| Akira | Akito |
Shiba means brushwood in Japanese, so it's possible that the Shiba Inu was named for the terrain where it hunted. It's also possible that the name came from the Shiba's coat, which is the same color as the autumn brushwood.
Is there a kanji for dog? ›犬 means 'dog'
What is Shishi in Japanese? ›Shishi (志士), sometimes known as Ishin Shishi (維新志士), were a group of Japanese political activists of the late Edo period.
Is Yuki a dog name? ›Yuki is one of the more popular dog names out there. According to our data, Yuki outranks the great majority of names.
How do Japanese call their pets? ›We call our pets by their (nick)names most of the time. [ The pet's name (+ chan to show extra affection)］、 こっちおいで。 ([...], kocchi oide.) You can replace the name with generic terms like 猫ちゃん(neko-chan; kitty) and ワンちゃん(wan-chan; doggy) if you don't know what they are called.
What dog name means loyal? ›Amnon: Hebrew, translates to “faithful” Fido: Latin, translates to “loyal” Amin: Arabic, translates to “trustworthy” Fidel: Latin, translates to “loyal”
What is a koneko? ›Koneko ("kitten" in Japanese) is a cat cafe located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
What does Kuro mean in Japanese? ›くろkuro【黒】black.
How do you say meow in Japanese? ›- にゃお
- ニャー
Why do dogs say Bow Wow? ›
it's onomatopoeia. English language can't phoneticize the exact noise of a dog's bark so we generalize via onomatopoeia to make the nearest-sounding noise.
Why do Japanese dogs say wan? ›The traditional onomatopoetic term used in Japan to indicate the barking of a dog is “wan wan”. (わんわん、ワンワン）Sometimes this is also used as a name for dog, by calling a pet wanchan.
What language do dogs speak? ›How dogs communicate with one another is based on a system of common signals. Obviously, dogs can't talk, so their "language" is comprised of other signals—primarily body language, such as movement and positioning of the ears and tail, as well as how a dog positions himself near other dogs.
What does Ryu mean in Japanese? ›Ryū (龍/竜, 隆, 流, りゅう, リュウ, Ryū) is a Japanese masculine given name and family name meaning "dragon", "noble", "prosperous", or "flow".
What does Hado mean in Japanese? ›In the Japanese spiritual community, hado is a similar life-force energy that encompasses healing properties and transformative powers. Literally translated, it means wave motion or vibration. Once we become aware of it in our everyday lives, hado can spark great changes in our physical space and emotional well being.
What does kenpachi mean in Japanese? ›Kenpachi (剣八, Sword-Eight) is the title that is only given to the strongest Shinigami. It is an ironclad rule that there can be only one Kenpachi per generation, meaning that the predecessor must die for the killer to succeed the title. To inherit this title, the candidate must kill the current Kenpachi in battle.
What does Kero mean in Japanese? ›"Kero" is the sound a frog makes in the Japanese language , of. "ribbit" in English.
Do cats nya or meow? ›Did you know that cats in Japan do ' nya , nya , nya ' instead of meow , meow, meow ? Japanese onomatopoeias are different from other languages. So today 2-22 (Japanese number 2 is pronounced NI ) is celebrated on cat in Japan because it resembles to the sound ' Nya ' that cats do .
What does Nya mean in Japanese? ›にゃ • (nya) mew, meow (US, Australia), miaow (UK) にゃあと 鳴 な く nyā to naku to mew.
What type of dog is Scooby Doo? ›Scooby Doo is a Great Dane, one of the biggest dog breeds. The character was created by Iwao Takamoto, animator at Hanna-Barbera Productions. Takamoto studied the breed when developing the character, but took plenty of liberties for the fictional series.
What dog is the Doge? ›
The Shiba Inu is the dog behind the doge meme, which in turn inspired several cryptocurrencies, namely Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, which are now worth over $70 billion.
What dog has a black tongue? ›The Chow Chow's blue-black tongue makes it unique in the dog world, but it actually shares this characteristic with one other dog breed: the Chinese Shar-Pei.
What does Yuki mean? ›Depending on the characters used, Yuki can mean “snow,” “happiness,” or “snow flower.” Yuki is a beautiful name to give baby born in winter, or as a reminder of the happiness they have brought to your life. On This Page.
What is the coolest dog name? ›| Votes | Name |
|---|---|
| 6 | Asher Means fortunate |
| 5 | Lucky Favored, prosperous |
| 3 | Felix Latin for fortunate and happy |
| 2 | Faust A name that is often used to mean fortunate |
"Akita" comes from "Akita prefecture". The each kanji literally means 秋(autumn) 田(rice field). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akita_(dog) The Akita (秋田犬 Akita-inu, Akita-ken) is a large breed of dog originating from the mountainous northern regions of Japan.
What is a Memecoin? ›It may be used in the broadest sense as a critique of the cryptocurrency market in its entirety—those based on particular memes such as "dog coins", celebrities like Coinye, and pump-and-dump schemes such as BitConnect—or it may be used to make cryptocurrency more accessible.
Are Shibas related to Huskies? ›The origin of the Siberian Shiba is very recent, since they are born from a Siberian Husky and a Shiba Inu parent. The latter is a fairly recent breed themselves, and were only introduced to America around 60 years ago, and are still gaining popularity.
What's the kanji for wolf? ›狼 means 'wolf'
What is the kanji for fat? ›What is Japanese kanji for love? ›
Using the Kanji Character Ai
Writing love in Japanese is represented as the kanji symbol 愛 which means love and affection. It takes 13 strokes to create the kanji for love.
Origin: Baby Lingo – shee shee stands for the act of passing urine. The phrase shee shee is usually used on toddlers. It is used to ask the toddlers if they want to urinate. The continuous whistling “shee” sound with a short interval pause is used to urge the toddler to urinate.
What is Gumi in Japanese? ›Noun. gumi (plural gumik) rubber, gum (as a material)
What does Shiko mean in Japanese? ›Noun. shiko (plural shiko) (sumo) One of the basic sumo exercises, in which the rikishi raises a leg high in the air to the side, then brings it down with a stamp. It is also performed on the dohyo to drive away bad spirits.
What should I call my gf? ›Some guys go the "classic" route with names like "angel," "darling," and "sweetheart"; some prefer food-inspired nicknames, like "cookie" and "cupcake"; and some straight-up worship their partners with loving names like "queen," "goddess," and "light of my life."
What are flirty nicknames? ›- Boo.
- Booboo Bear.
- Sweetheart.
- Baby Boy.
- Baby/Babe.
- Baby Love.
- Boo Thang.
- Love Bug.
- Babe. You can't go wrong with this staple. ...
- Baby. "Baby" is another go-to nickname that will stick even after you have kids. ...
- (My) Beloved. "My beloved" was once the most popular term of affection. ...
- Darling. ...
- Love. ...
- Love Bug. ...
- Lover. ...
- Hot Stuff.
Inu is the Japanese word for 'dog', explained.
What does Shiba mean Japanese? ›Shiba means brushwood in Japanese, so it's possible that the Shiba Inu was named for the terrain where it hunted. It's also possible that the name came from the Shiba's coat, which is the same color as the autumn brushwood.
What is inu in Japanese? ›Word: 犬 (Inu)
This is the Japanese word for a dog or dogs (noun).
What does Kutta mean in Japanese? ›
Verb. 食 く う • (kuu) transitive godan (stem 食 く い (kui), past 食 く った (kutta)) to put something in one's mouth.
What does Yasha mean in Japanese? ›Yasha means demon in japanese, what does Sange mean? : r/DotA2. Advertisement.
How do you say bird in Japanese? ›Japanese word for bird is tori - YouTube
What is dog in Brazil language? ›American English: dog /ˈdɔg/ Arabic: كَلْب Brazilian Portuguese: cachorro.
What is the Japanese name for wolf? ›The Japanese word for "Wolf" is ookami 狼.
Does Shiba mean dog? ›Japan's most iconic dog, the Shiba Inu is known for its adorable fox-like face, tan fur and curly tail. Inu means 'dog' in Japanese, while shiba is an archaic word for 'small. ' Locals call them Shiba Inu or Shiba Ken, since the kanji can be read both ways, but often, you'll just hear them called Shiba.
What does Akita mean in Japan? ›"Akita" comes from "Akita prefecture". The each kanji literally means 秋(autumn) 田(rice field). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akita_(dog) The Akita (秋田犬 Akita-inu, Akita-ken) is a large breed of dog originating from the mountainous northern regions of Japan.
What does Ryu mean in Japanese? ›Ryū (龍/竜, 隆, 流, りゅう, リュウ, Ryū) is a Japanese masculine given name and family name meaning "dragon", "noble", "prosperous", or "flow".
What is a good Japanese name for a dog? ›| Female Japanese Dog Names | Male Japanese Dog Names |
|---|---|
| Aiko | Aki |
| Airi | Akiara |
| Akemi | Akio |
| Akira | Akito |
From Japanese 鉄 (kane) meaning "metal; money" combined with 樹 (ki) meaning "tree".
What does a Kala Khutta mean? ›
Kala Kutta, which means "black dog" in Hindi, first caught Rochelle Lucas' attention near her office in Bangalore.
What is a rabbit in Japanese? ›“Usagi” is usually translated as “rabbit,” but one clue about the meaning of the winter sculptures is that the word is better translated as “hare.” The main islands of Japan have no native species of rabbits.
Why Kutta is a Gaali? ›The first silo, religious swearing in Hindi draws from two main sources: Hinduism and Islam. Ironically for Modi, the fact that kutta is a swearword in Hindi is, in all probability, drawn from the Islamic contempt for the animal.