チワワ
chiwawa[t͡ɕiβ̞a̠β̞a̠]
The Japanese word for the dog breed chihuahua is チワワ (chiwawa).
Meaning: breed of dog (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
chiwawa
Did you know?
- In Japanese pop culture and manga, a character described as a チワワ is often someone who looks fierce or angry but is actually harmless and small.
- The word チワワ is a loanword borrowed from Spanish.
- Because the word チワワ consists of repeating sounds, it fits the Japanese phonetic preference for 'reduplication', which is a common linguistic tool used to make words sound cute or small.
Examples in context
- 今日、可愛い チワワ を見つけたよ！I saw an adorable Chihuahua today!
- チワワはとても可愛いです。Chiwawa wa totemo kawaii desu.Chihuahuas are very cute.
- あそこにチワワがいます。Asoko ni chiwawa ga imasu.There is a chihuahua over there.
- 私の家にはチワワがいます。Watashi no ie ni wa chiwawa ga imasu.I have a chihuahua at my house.
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are talking about pets at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太さんは犬が好きですか？Yota-san wa inu ga suki desu ka?Yota, do you like dogs?
- 陽太 Yotaはい、特にチワワが好きです。Hai, tokuni chiwawa ga suki desu.Yes, I especially like chihuahuas.
- 美咲 Misaki私もチワワが大好きです！Watashi mo chiwawa ga daisuki desu!I love chihuahuas too!
- 陽太 Yota美咲さんも犬を飼っていますか？Misaki-san mo inu o katte imasu ka?Do you also have a dog, Misaki?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chihuahua” translations and entries チワワ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries チワワ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
