足
ashi[a̠ɕi]
The Japanese word for 'paw' is 足 (ashi). If unsure, use 足. Wiktionary also lists 足の裏 (ashi no ura).
Meaning: soft foot of an animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 足 | ashi | [a̠ɕi] (narrow) |
| 足の裏 | ashi no ura | [a̠ɕi no̞ ɯ̟ɾa̠] (narrow) |
While 足 can refer to an animal's paw, it is the general word for 'foot' or 'leg' and is most commonly used for human limbs unless the context clearly specifies an animal.
Which one should you use?
足 (ashi) is a broad term meaning 'foot' or 'leg' and is the default when discussing human anatomy. In contrast, if you want to describe the soft part of a paw, you should use the specific term for 'paw pad'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
ashi
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the term 肉球 (nikukyuu) translates literally to 'meat sphere' to describe the fleshy pads of an animal's paw.
- The word 足 (ashi) is uniquely broad in Japanese, as it can function as a single word for both the 'leg' and the 'foot', a distinction English speakers usually maintain.
- Just as the underside of a paw is 足の裏 (ashi no ura), the top of the foot is called 足の甲 (ashi no kō).
Examples in context
- その犬のあしは白いですね。That dog's paw is white, isn't it?
- あの子猫のにくきゅうを触りたい！I want to touch that kitten's cute little paw!
- 猫の足はとても柔らかいです。neko no ashi wa totemo yawarakai desu.A cat's paw is very soft.
- 犬の足が汚れています。inu no ashi ga yogorete imasu.The dog's paw is dirty.
- この動物の足は大きいです。kono doubutsu no ashi wa ookii desu.This animal's paw is large.
Example conversation
Misaki is looking at a cute cat in a cafe.
- 美咲 Misakiこの猫の足、すごく可愛い！kono neko no ashi, sugoku kawaii!This cat's paw is so cute!
- 蓮 Ren本当だね。ふわふわしているよ。hontou da ne. fuwafuwa shite iru yo.You're right. It's fluffy.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮君も触ってみる？Ren-kun mo sawatte miru?Ren, do you want to try touching it?
- 蓮 Renちょっと怖いけど、触ってみたい。chotto kowai kedo, sawatte mitai.I'm a little scared, but I want to try.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “paw” translations and entries 足, 足の裏, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
