श्वन्
śvan/ɕʋɐ́n/masculine
The Sanskrit word for dog is श्वन् (śvan). Wiktionary also lists शुनक (śunaka) and भषक (bhaṣaka).
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Sanskrit | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| श्वन् | śvan | /ɕʋɐ́n/ (Vedic) /ɕu.ʋɐ́n/ (Vedic) |
masculine |
| शुनक | śunaka | /ɕu.nɐ.kɐ/ (Vedic) /ɕu.n̪ɐ.kɐ/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
masculine |
| भषक | bhaṣaka | masculine | |
| कुर्कुर | kurkura | /kúɾ.ku.ɾɐ/ (Vedic) /kuɾ.ku.ɾɐ/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
masculine |
Which one should you use?
श्वन् is the standard, primary noun for a dog. The form शुनक is a diminutive, which means it is often used specifically to refer to a puppy or a small dog.
How does it change in a sentence?
All the forms provided are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of श्वन् is /ɕʋɐ́n/.
Did you know?
- In some ancient Indian texts, dogs are associated with the god Bhairava, who is often depicted with a pack of dogs.
- While 'श्वन्' is the standard term, the form कुर्कुर mimics the actual sound of a dog barking, much like 'bow-wow' in English.
- The English word 'hound' is actually a distant linguistic relative of the Sanskrit श्वन्, both tracing back to the same ancient root.
Examples in context
- श्वा शनैः चलति।śvā śanaiḥ calati.The dog walks slowly.
Example conversation
Aditya and Mira are walking in a park.
- आदित्य Adityaमीरा, तत्र पश्य!mīrā, tatra paśya!Mira, look there!
- मीरा Miraकिम् अस्ति तत्र?kim asti tatra?What is there?
- आदित्य Adityaएकः श्वा धावति।ekaḥ śvā dhāvati.A dog is running.
- मीरा Miraअहो, सः मनोहरः अस्ति।aho, saḥ manoharaḥ asti.Oh, it is beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dog” translations and entries श्वन्, शुनक, कुर्कुर, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries कुर्कुर, शुनक, श्वन्, CC BY-SA 4.0.
