番犬(ばんけん)

Composed of 番(ばん) (watch/guard duty) and 犬(けん) (dog). Used both literally for dogs that guard homes and figuratively for entities that monitor and check authority.

Common collocations

• 番犬(ばんけん)を飼(か)う: to keep a guard dog
• 番犬(ばんけん)が吠(ほ)える: the guard dog barks
• 権力(けんりょく)の番犬(ばんけん): watchdog of power
• 番犬(ばんけん)代(が)わり: serving as a guard dog / in place of a guard dog

Similar words

• 忠犬(ちゅうけん): faithful dog — emphasizes loyalty rather than guarding
• 猟犬(りょうけん): hunting dog — a dog used for hunting, not guarding
• 警察犬(けいさつけん): police dog — a trained dog used by law enforcement
• 飼(か)い犬(いぬ): pet dog — any domesticated dog, not specifically for guarding

Usage

The figurative "watchdog" meaning is common in journalism and political discourse, similar to English usage. 番犬(ばんけん)ジャーナリズム (watchdog journalism) is a recognized concept.