猫
neko[ne̞ko̞]
The Japanese word for cat is 猫 (neko). Wiktionary also lists 家猫 (ieneko).
Meaning: domestic species (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 猫 | neko | [ne̞ko̞] (narrow) [ne̞ko̞ma̠] (narrow) |
| 家猫 | ieneko |
The term refers to the domestic species of cat.
What does it mean word for word?
The form 家猫 is a compound consisting of ie (house) and neko (cat), literally meaning house cat.
Which one should you use?
While 猫 is the general term for any cat, 家猫 specifically refers to a domestic house cat.
How do you pronounce it?
neko
Did you know?
- The word 猫 may have started as a combination of ne, an onomatopoeia for a cat's sound, and ko, a suffix used to make words diminutive.
- The pitch accent pattern for 猫 is a rare example of a word that carries the same pitch pattern in both the Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka dialect groups.
Examples in context
- 私は猫です。I'm a cat.This sentence shows how to use 猫 to identify oneself.Tatoeba #3456487 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #2068371 by shekitten
- 俺は猫かい？Am I a cat?This sentence demonstrates a question using 猫.Tatoeba #9963984 by Sim5634, translation #9963970 by DJ_Saidez
- 猫に九生あり。A cat has nine lives.This sentence uses 猫 in a common proverb about cats having nine lives.Tatoeba #121984 by KK_kaku_, translation #282019 by CM
- 私はねこが大好きです。I love cats.
- その子はかわいいねこを飼っています。That child has an adorable cat.
- 414 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a photo of a pet.
- 美咲 Misakiこの猫、すごく可愛くないですか？kono neko, sugoku kawaikunai desu ka?Isn't this cat really cute?
- 大翔 Hiroto本当に可愛いね。美咲は猫が好きなの？hontou ni kawaii ne. Misaki wa neko ga suki nano?It really is cute. Misaki, do you like cats?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、大好きです！hai, daisuki desu!Yes, I love them!
- 大翔 Hiroto僕も猫を飼いたいな。boku mo neko o kaitai na.I want to keep a cat too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cat” translations and entries 猫, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 猫, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
