インコ
いんこ
noun
parakeet; parrot
1.
parakeet; parrot; paroquet
A small to medium-sized parrot, especially species commonly kept as pets in Japan such as budgerigars and cockatiels.
インコを飼っている。
I keep a parakeet.
うちのインコは言葉を覚えるのが早い。
Our parakeet is quick at learning words.
肩に乗ったインコが楽しそうに歌っている。
The parakeet perched on my shoulder is singing happily.
Written in katakana; the kanji 鸚哥 exists but is rarely used.
COMMON SPECIES IN JAPAN:
- セキセイインコ: budgerigar (the most popular pet parakeet)
- オカメインコ: cockatiel
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- インコを飼う: to keep a parakeet
- インコがしゃべる: a parakeet talks
- インコに言葉を教える: to teach a parakeet words
CONTRAST:
- オウム: larger parrots and cockatoos (distinct from インコ)
- In casual speech, people sometimes use インコ and オウム interchangeably, but strictly, インコ refers to smaller species.
NOTE:
インコ are among the most popular pet birds in Japan, prized for their ability to mimic speech.