猟犬
ryōken[ɾʲo̞ːkẽ̞ɴ]
The English word "hound" is translated into Japanese as 猟犬 (ryōken). Wiktionary also lists 狩犬 (kariinu).
Meaning: dog, hunting dog (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 猟犬 | ryōken | [ɾʲo̞ːkẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 狩犬 | kariinu |
What does it mean word for word?
The word 猟犬 is composed of the kanji 猟, meaning "hunt" and 犬, meaning "dog".
How do you pronounce it?
ryōken
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, the word 犬 can be used as a derogatory term for a 'lapdog' or a subordinate who blindly follows orders, similar to the English phrase 'doing someone's bidding'.
- The term 狩犬 combines the native Japanese reading kari for hunting with inu for dog, unlike the more formal Chinese-derived 猟犬.
- Japanese distinguishes between a dog's general breed classification using 猟犬 and a dog that is actively participating in a hunt using 狩犬.
Examples in context
- 彼は猟犬を訓練している。Kare wa rioken o kunren shite iru.He is training a hunting dog.
- その猟犬はとても賢い。Sono rioken wa totemo kashikoi.That hound is very smart.
- 猟犬の鳴き声が聞こえる。Rioken no nakigoe ga kikoeru.I can hear the hunting dog's bark.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a picture in a book about hunting.
- 陽葵 Himariこの猟犬はかっこいいですね。Kono rioken wa kakkoii desu ne.This hunting dog is cool, isn't it?
- 健太 Kenta本当だ。強そうな猟犬だ。Hontou da. Tsuyosou na rioken da.True. It looks like a strong hound.
- 陽葵 Himari健太さんは猟犬が好きですか？Kenta-san wa rioken ga suki desu ka?Kenta, do you like hunting dogs?
- 健太 Kentaはい、とても興味があります。Hai, totemo kyoumi ga arimasu.Yes, I am very interested in them.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hound” translations and entries 猟犬, 狩犬, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 狩犬, 猟犬, CC BY-SA 4.0.
