Nuance & Usage
犬 is the standard word for dog. In Japan, dogs are extremely popular pets, and the famous story of 忠犬ハチ公 (Chuuken Hachikō — the loyal dog Hachikō) is widely known. Related words: 子犬 (koinu — puppy), 犬小屋 (inugoya — doghouse), 番犬 (banken — guard dog). The more affectionate/casual term is ワンちゃん (wan-chan), using the onomatopoeia for a dog's bark (ワンワン — wan wan).
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes use 飼う (kau — to keep/raise) correctly but mix up the particles: ✓ 犬を飼っています (I have/keep a dog). Note that 飼う and 買う (to buy) are homophones. Also, Japanese dogs "say" ワンワン (wan wan), not "bow wow" — knowing animal sounds in Japanese helps with children's vocabulary and everyday conversation.
Example Sentences (3)
うちでは犬を二匹飼っています。
うちではいぬをにひきかっています。
We have two dogs at home.
犬の散歩は毎朝の日課です。
いぬのさんぽはまいあさのにっかです。
Walking the dog is my daily morning routine.
あの犬はとてもかわいいですね。
あのいぬはとてもかわいいですね。
That dog is very cute, isn't it?
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
N54 questionsTest your knowledge of 犬 with 4 different question types.
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