猫(ねこ)

ねこ

noun

cat

1. cat

A small domesticated feline.

猫(ねこ)を飼(か)っている。

I have a cat.

猫(ねこ)が窓(まど)の外(そと)を見(み)ている。

The cat is looking outside the window.

黒(くろ)い猫(ねこ)が庭(にわ)を歩(ある)いていた。

A black cat was walking through the garden.

うちの猫(ねこ)は人(ひと)が好(す)きで、誰(だれ)にでもすぐ近(ちか)づいていく。

Our cat loves people and goes right up to anyone.

子(こ)どもの時(とき)に拾(ひろ)った猫(ねこ)をずっと大切(たいせつ)にしていて、もう十(じゅう)年(ねん)も一緒(いっしょ)に暮(く)らしている。

I've been taking good care of a cat I found as a child, and we've been living together for ten years now.

猫(ねこ) means cat—the common domesticated feline.

Types

子猫(こねこ): kitten
野良猫(のらねこ): stray cat
飼(か)い猫(ねこ): pet cat
黒猫(くろねこ): black cat
三毛猫(みけねこ): calico cat

Compounds

猫舌(ねこじた): sensitive to hot food (lit. 'cat tongue')
猫背(ねこぜ): hunched back, slouching
招(まね)き猫(ねこ): beckoning cat (lucky charm)

Common expressions

猫(ねこ)の手(て)も借(か)りたい: so busy I'd borrow even a cat's paws
猫(ねこ)をかぶる: to hide one's true nature (play innocent)
猫(ねこ)に小判(こばん): casting pearls before swine

Cultural note

Cats are popular in Japan—猫カフェ(ねこカフェ) (cat cafés) are common, and cats appear often in anime and merchandise.

Related Words

Related: 犬(いぬ) (dog)

Related: 鼠(ねずみ) (mouse, rat)

Related: ペット (pet)

Related: 鳴(な)く (to sing, to cry (animals))

basic

Added 2026.1.9 21:21 · Revised 2026.10.10 16:55

02000/02237_neko