悪い犬
warui inu
The English phrase "bad dog" is translated into Japanese as 悪い犬 (warui inu).
悪い犬 is a term used to describe a dog that behaves poorly or is naughty. In an informal context, one might use わんぱく犬 to indicate that a dog is energetic and lively in a way that causes trouble.
How do you pronounce it?
warui inu
Did you know?
- To actually scold a dog for misbehaving, Japanese owners are much more likely to use the word めっ (me). It is a phonetic sound that functions as a verbal command for 'no' or 'don't do that'.
- While 悪い犬 is grammatically correct, a Japanese person would almost never use it to scold a real pet. It sounds like a description from a textbook or a line in a movie rather than a natural command.
- In Japanese, the word 悪い (warui) can also mean 'evil' or 'morally wrong'. Using it for a dog can sometimes imply a level of deep, sinister wickedness that a simple 'naughty' behavior does not carry.
Examples in context
- みんなの前で靴を噛むなんて、悪い犬だよ！You're a bad dog for chewing on shoes in front of everyone!
- そこのいたずら犬、やめなさい！Hey, you mischievous dog, stop that!
- 庭の花を掘り返すなんて、わんぱく犬だね！You're such a naughty dog for digging up the flowers in the garden!
- 飼い主のマナーも大切ですよ。行儀の悪い犬ですね。The owner's manners are important too. Your dog has bad behavior, doesn't he?
- 他の人たちに迷惑をかけるんじゃないですか？迷惑な犬ですね。Aren't you causing trouble for other people? Your dog is quite a nuisance.
Example conversation
Yōta and Himari are scolding their dog for chewing a shoe.
- 陽太 Yotaまた靴を噛んだ！悪い犬だな。Mata kutsu o kanda! Warui inu da na.He chewed the shoes again! What a bad dog.
- 陽葵 Himari本当だね。もうしちゃダメだよ。Hontō da ne. Mō shicha dame da yo.You're right. You mustn't do that anymore.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵、次はどう教える？Himari, tsugi wa dō oshieru?Himari, how should we teach him next?
- 陽葵 Himariおやつをあげて、いい子にさせよう。Oyatsu o agete, ii ko ni saseyō.Let's give him a treat and make him a good boy.
