秋田犬(あきたいぬ)

あきたいぬ
noun
Akita (dog breed)
animal-generalculture
1. Akita; Akita Inu (dog breed)
A large Japanese dog breed originally from Akita Prefecture, with a curled tail and thick double coat. Famous worldwide through Hachikō, the loyal Shibuya dog.
秋田犬(あきたいぬ)を飼(か)っている。
I have an Akita.
秋田犬(あきたいぬ)は忠実(ちゅうじつ)な性格(せいかく)で知(し)られている。
Akitas are known for their loyal personality.
渋谷(しぶや)駅(えき)の有名(ゆうめい)な銅像(どうぞう)ハチ公(こう)は秋田犬(あきたいぬ)だ。
The famous statue Hachikō at Shibuya Station is an Akita.

Also read あきたけん in everyday speech; the あきたいぬ reading is preferred by breed associations. Named after Akita Prefecture in northern Japan, where the breed was developed.

Common collocations

  • 秋田犬(あきたいぬ)を飼(か)う: to own an Akita
  • 純血(じゅんけつ)の秋田犬(あきたいぬ): a purebred Akita
  • 大型犬(おおがたけん): large-breed dog (category Akita falls in)

Cultural note

Designated a natural treasure (天然記念物(てんねんきねんぶつ)) in 1931. Hachikō, the Akita who waited daily at Shibuya Station for his deceased owner, is a national symbol of loyalty, and Akitas have also been given as gifts to foreign dignitaries including Helen Keller and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Similar words

  • 柴犬(しばいぬ): Shiba Inu — smaller Japanese breed; both belong to the 日本犬(にほんけん) (Japanese dog) group

Related Words

Related: 柴犬(しばいぬ) (Shiba Inu (related Japanese dog breed))
general
Added 2026.5.13 13:09 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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