1.
lost dog; stray dog that has wandered away from its owner
A pet dog that has become separated from its owner and is wandering. Distinguished from a permanently stray or feral dog — a 迷い犬 has an owner somewhere.
迷い犬を保護した。
I took in a lost dog.
迷い犬の情報を掲示板に載せた。
I posted information about a lost dog on the bulletin board.
近所で迷い犬を見かけたので、交番に届けた。
I spotted a lost dog in the neighborhood, so I reported it at the police box.
SNSで迷い犬の写真を拡散したら、飼い主が見つかった。
After sharing the lost dog's photo on social media, the owner was found.
Composed of 迷い (wandering, lost — the continuative form of 迷う) and 犬 (dog). The 迷い～ pattern creates compounds meaning 'lost/stray ~': 迷い猫 (lost cat), 迷い子 (lost child).
In Japan, if you find a 迷い犬, you can take it to the nearest 交番 (police box) or contact the local 動物愛護センター (animal welfare center). Many municipalities now also use social media and dedicated websites to reunite lost pets with their owners.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 迷い犬を保護する: to take in/shelter a lost dog
- 迷い犬の届け: lost dog report
- 迷い犬の飼い主: the owner of a lost dog
- 迷い犬を見かける: to spot a lost dog
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 野良犬: stray dog — a dog without an owner, living on its own permanently
- 迷い猫: lost cat — the feline equivalent
- 迷い子: lost child — a child who has become separated from their parent or guardian