いい子
ii ko
The Japanese phrase for "good dog" is いい子 (ii ko).
The phrase is used to praise a dog for behaving well. Although it literally means "good child", it is the standard way to tell a dog it has been a good boy or girl.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase translates literally to "good child".
Which one should you use?
While いい子 is the standard, you can also use いい犬だね as an informal way to say "good dog" or the formal いい犬ですね to mean "good dog, isn't it?" For a more affectionate and informal tone, you can use いいワンちゃんだね, where ワンちゃん means "doggy".
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking directly to a pet, adding the particle だね to the end of the phrase, as in いい子だね, makes the expression sound more natural and affectionate.
How do you pronounce it?
ii ko
Did you know?
- If you use the more literal いい犬 (ii inu) instead of いい子, it can sound more like a clinical observation of the dog's quality rather than a warm compliment.
- Because いい子 literally translates to 'good child', Japanese-speaking parents often use the exact same phrase to praise their own toddlers for behaving well.
- In Japanese culture, the suffix 子 (ko) in いい子 is so common for names that it has historically been used as a standard ending for many female human names.
Examples in context
- 犬はいい犬ですね。That dog is a good dog, isn't it?
- 飼い主は素晴らしい犬を飼っていますね。The owner has a wonderful dog, don't they?
- このワンちゃん、本当にいい犬だね！This dog is truly a good dog!
- いい子だね。Ii ko da ne.Good dog, aren't you?
- ずっといい子にしてる。Zutto ii ko ni shiteru.He is being a good dog all the time.
Example conversation
Hina and Yota are praising their dog after a walk.
- 陽葵 Himari陽葵: お座りできたね。いい子！Hina: Osuwari dekita ne. Ii ko!You sat down. Good dog!
- 陽太 Yota陽太: 本当にいい子だね。Yota: Hontou ni ii ko da ne.He really is a good dog.
- 陽葵 Himari陽葵: ご褒美にオヤツをあげよう。Hina: Gohoubi ni oyatsu o ageyou.Let's give him a treat as a reward.
- 陽太 Yota陽太: それがいいと思うよ。Yota: Sore ga ii to omou yo.I think that's a good idea.
