1.
faithful dog; loyal dog
A dog that shows unwavering loyalty to its owner. The word is strongly associated with the famous story of Hachikō, the Akita dog who waited at Shibuya Station for his deceased owner for years.
忠犬ハチ公の像は渋谷にある。
The statue of Hachikō, the faithful dog, is in Shibuya.
あの犬はまさに忠犬だ。
That dog is truly a loyal dog.
忠犬ハチ公の物語は海外でも映画になって知られている。
The story of Hachikō the loyal dog is known overseas as well, having been made into a movie.
Composed of 忠 (loyalty, faithfulness) + 犬 (dog). Almost inseparable from the story of 忠犬ハチ公 (Hachikō), the Akita dog who continued to wait at Shibuya Station every day for his owner, Professor Ueno, even after the professor died in 1925. A bronze statue of Hachikō at Shibuya Station is one of Tokyo's most famous meeting spots.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 忠犬ハチ公: Hachikō, the loyal dog
- 忠犬ハチ公の像: statue of Hachikō
- 忠犬ハチ公前: in front of the Hachikō statue (common meeting spot)
CULTURAL NOTE:
The Hachikō story is one of Japan's most beloved tales of animal loyalty and is taught in schools. The phrase 忠犬 is sometimes used figuratively to describe a person who is extremely loyal or devoted.