Nuance & Usage
猫 is the word for cat. Cats hold a special place in Japanese culture — 招き猫 (maneki neko — beckoning cat) is the famous good-luck charm seen in shops. Cat cafés (猫カフェ) originated in Japan. Related words: 子猫 (koneko — kitten), 野良猫 (noraneko — stray cat). The sound a cat makes in Japanese is ニャー (nyaa), not "meow." The expression 猫の手も借りたい (neko no te mo karitai — want to borrow even a cat's paws) means "I'm extremely busy."
Common Mistakes
Like 犬, the counter for cats is 匹 (hiki/piki/biki): 一匹の猫 (ippiki no neko — one cat). Learners sometimes use 一つ or 一人, but animals use 匹. Also, the idiom 猫舌 (nekojita — cat tongue) describes someone who can't handle hot food or drinks — a useful and fun cultural expression to know.
Example Sentences (3)
猫が好きですか、犬が好きですか？
ねこがすきですか、いぬがすきですか？
Do you prefer cats or dogs?
窓の外に猫がいます。
まどのそとにねこがいます。
There's a cat outside the window.
この猫はいつもここで寝ています。
このねこはいつもここでねています。
This cat is always sleeping here.
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
N54 questionsTest your knowledge of 猫 with 4 different question types.
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