The Influence Of Cats In Japan
Cats have gained even more fame in Japan due to the influence of the Japanese media. In addition to the various works of the past, the rise of Hello Kitty it was one of the great impulses for the Japanese passion for cats. In Jinbocho / Tokyo, there is even a library / bookstore specializing in cat-related books called Nyankodo.
Another great example of Japanese passion for cats is the neko-café spread across Japan which allows people to play with cats while enjoying coffee.
The cat has great importance even in anime, either as a character or as a reference in cosplayers with cat ears. Not to mention the countless islands full of cats spread across Japan. Where there are more cats than residents.
On the internet, already in the 90s cats became famous in magazines, blogs, e-mails and albums on the internet. They became main characters of memes, and had great participation in youtube videos and 4chan posts.
Even today cats are still culturally influential and relevant on the internet, there are dozens of social media pages and videos on media sharing sites like and single single douga.
Japanese To English Animal Words And Phrases:
Whether you are learning about Japanese animal words in Japan, taking an online Japanese class, or plan to enrol yourself in Japanese language immersion school, our Japanese to English dictionary is always being updated with new Japanese animal words which makes it an excellent supplement for those trying to learn how to speak Japanese.
View this list of Japanese animal words with translations from: Japanese to English or English to Japanese
Common Expressions Related To Cats In Japanese
No one knows when cats first came to Japan. It might have been 1,200 years ago when people were bringing books from China to Japan on boats. Some believe that cats have been introduced to Japan to protect important texts from mice. The bond that formed between Japanese people and cats generated many expressions and proverbs.
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How Does A Cats Meow Sound In Japanese
What do you call a cats meow in Japanese? The most common sound a cat makes is . You may also hear or . The sound of an angry cat is . In Japanese, is the sound a cat makes when purring.
Do you know about cats day in Japan? Its called , and it is on February 22nd. Two in Japanese is . Japanese cat lovers selected this day, 2.22 , because it sounds like nyan nyan nyan, a cats meow.
Note: When children find a cat, they may say, instead of . However, nyan nyan is also slang for sex. If someone says, , they may want to go to bed with you.
Cat In Different Languages From All Around The World
Cats are popular pets in many different countries and we must learn more about cat in different languages.
Where a black cat is considered unlucky in the United States and many other countries, it’s considered good luck in the United Kingdom.
In Japan, it’s the three colored calico that’s considered lucky. In Russia, it is good luck to let a cat be the first one to walk into a new house. In Chinese mythology, the cat was deceived by the Rat and has hated him ever since.
In Nigeria, its said that cats hate rats because she got blamed for a theft carried out by the rat. In Italian folklore, cats are portrayed as tricksters who may be good or bad. Mongolians mistrust cats due to the destructiveness of snow leopards.
Tales of the Wampus cat are known throughout Native tribes of the Appalacians, but the Cherokee believe Wampus is the spirit of a woman who fought a demon to avenge her husband.
In Celtic legend, the Fair Folk sometimes took the form of cats and could do great mischief or bestow great blessings depending on how they were treated.
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Giving Your Cat A Thai Name
Strangely enough, almost all of the cat owners in Thailand give their cats the English or Western names, whereas other people outside Thailand are looking for Thai names for their cats.
- /seeR saL waatL/ fawn-colored and also a famous species of Siamese cat
- /seeR saaiM/ sandy-colored
- /seeR thaawngM/ gold-colored
- /namH dtaanM/ brown-colored or sugar
- /miaaoR/ Thai onomatopoeia, the way we imitate a cat’s sound in Thai
- /luukF chaaiM/ a son
- /saaiR maiR/ a silky thread
- /soopL phaH lakH/ super luck! :-)Literally, this means: “auspicious characteristics, features, looks”
- delicate, beautiful
Rasha/RajaRamaRaamChulaNarinNaris
How To Say Cat In Many Languages
Here is a list of how to say “Cat” in many languages
Afrikaans Kat Katjie Algonquin Sinta Arabic Qit or Besseh Bahasa Melayu Kuching British English Moggy Bulgarian Kotka Cantonese Maow Chinese Mao Czech Kocour Kocka Danish Kat Dutch Kat Poes Kater Egyptian M? Eskimo Pussi Esperanto Kato Ethiopian Domadh Farsi Gorbeh Bache Gorbeh Finnish kissa French Chat Minou Gaelic Pisc? German Kater miau Greek Gati Gata Gatos Gataki Gypsy Muca Hawaiian Popoki or kike Hebrew Chatul Chatula Hungarian Macska or Cica Icelandic K?tur Indonesian Kutjing Irish Cat Italian Gatto Gattina Japanese Neko Kmer Chma Korean Koyangi Latin Feles, Felix Loglan Katma Maltese Qattus Qattusa Mayan Miz Mexican Felino Felina Norwegian Katt Pakistani Shimii Philipino Pusa Plains Cree Indians Minoos Minoosis Polish Kot Kotka Portuguese Gata Gato Romanian Pisica Romansch Giat Russian Kot Koshka Kotyonok Serbo-Croatian Macka Slovak Mizhu or Kotsur Machka Spanish Gato Gata Swahili Paka Swedish Katt Swiss-German B?i or Chatz Tamil Poonai Thai Maa-oh Tsalagi We'sa Turkish Kedi Vietnamese Con M? Welsh Cath Yiddish Kats |
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Why Do Japanese People Love Cats
While in Brazil dogs dominate Brazilian homes, in Japan cats rule. If you know Japanese culture well, you must have noticed the Japanese passion and obsession with cats.
Just browse the Instagram of some Japanese and find several profiles full of pictures of cats. In this article, we will understand a little of the passion and influence of cats in Japan.
Japanese people love cats because they are cute, clean and easy to keep as a pet. Having a pet can be hard work in Japan, as many don’t have the time or live in apartments.
For most Japanese, having a dog is out of the question. A cat can be much cheaper and easier. Unlike dogs, cats clean themselves, walk around the neighborhood alone, do not mind being alone all day and do not bother the owner so much wanting attention while he is at home.
Of course, many other historical and cultural things are involved in the Japanese passion for cats. Even the kawaii culture gives more prominence to cats than other animals.
To understand more about cats in Japan, we need to know their history in the Japanese archipelago. Another reason is that cats are related to luck in Japan. For Buddhists and Shintoists, cats are represented as sacred and cursed creatures.
Definition And Meaning Of Neko
Let me start with the definition and meaning of neko.
- neko : a noun meaning cat in Japanese. This word can also work as a plural noun meaning cats. Learn more about Japanese plural.
Its definition and meaning are simple and clear, I think. Then, let me explain how to use this word through the example sentence below.
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Learn Japanese Animal Names And Phrases
This page should act as a good reference for those who are looking for a place to build on their basic Japanese vocabulary – especially when it comes to learning about Japanese animal words and phrases. The page includes some basic animal words, the names of several animals translated from various forms of Japanese writing: Romaji, Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji.
Know any other animal words or phrases that are missing from this page? Leave a comment in our comment section or submit it to the site using the form at the bottom of the page – just above the submit form is a list of animal words that people are looking for translations of if you need some inspiration.
Besides the list of animal words and phrases you’ll also find some other interesting things on the page including a comment section where you can connect with other learners of the Japanese language, plus some additional learning resources on Amazon to further your studies. There’s also some links to some Japanese themed articles if you feel so inclined to read them.
How To Say Kitten In Japanese
The word for kitten in Japanese is pronounced ko-neko. Koneko can also be written in:
- Hiragana:
- Katakana:
- Kanji:
Taking a look at the kanji, we can see the , which means child, and , which means cat. So literally means a child cat.
Koneko is usually written in kanji unless its for kids
The tricky part about writing kitten in Japanese is that it can be written in three different ways: , , or . The character is the same, but the ko character changes. This is because ko has different kanji characters based on its meaning:
- = child
- = young animal
- = small
and describe the age of a cat , but describes the size of a cat . However, all are pronounced the same. is probably the most common kanji used for kitten.
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Common Cat Words In Japanese Using
Here are some useful words related to cats in Japanese:
- : indoor cat/house cat
- : abandoned cat
- : rescued cat
- : stray cat an outdoor cat who live in the wild by themselves
- : stray cat/alley cat an outdoor cat who lives in areas with humans
- : outdoor cat fed by humans
Some are called because of their ear shape. To protect these outdoor cats, volunteers catch them so they can be neutered or spayed. Veterinarians cut the top of the cats ear, making a V shape. Because of this V shaped cut, their ears look similar to sakura petals. Japanese cat lovers eventually called those cats .
Sadly, many kittens and cats in Japan are known as , or abandoned cats. means to throw away or abandon.
Fortunately, many people rescue cats. Rescued cats are called . means to protect. After cats are rescued, they often find a good home and become .
The History Of Cats In Japan
Records show that cats in Japan were imported from China and were initially seen as a luxury animal, only for the wealthy and noble. Cats were extremely rare in the past, they were not used to hunt mice but as a sign of good luck.
Some developed the idea that having a cat in your store or shop would bring good fortune or luck, thus creating the famous symbol of the maneki-neko. It is not only today, but since the mid-1800s cats have existed in Japanese works and works of art.
In the Edo period , Hiroshige Utagawa and Kuniyoshi Utagawa painted cats, and in the Meiji period , the great novelist Soseki Natsume wrote a novel with the name I Am a Cat , which became a famous masterpiece of Japanese literature.
The importance of the cat in Japan was also related to mice. We all know that Japan plants a lot of rice, cats were needed to protect rice from mice.
There are several shrines that worship cats as gods in Japan, nowadays they also have a lot of influence in Japanese culture. Places that show traces of the relationship between cats and people are spread across Japan.
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Something You Cant Resist
Fish bonito for cats Something Irresistible
If you leave fish bonito with a cat, the cat will surely eat their favorite food. This expression describes a temptation you cant resist.
Example:
Your wallet was stolen because you left it and went to the bathroom. Thats just like asking a thief to take it.
Popular Cat Breeds In Japanese
Some Japanese cat owners care a lot about pure breeds. Here are some popular cat breeds in Japan:
- : American Short Hair
- : Scottish Fold
- : Munchkin
- : Norwegian Forest
- : Mixed breed cats
was once called , which referred to any crossbred cats . Since the kanji means rough or carelessness, animal lovers changed to which includes the following types of cats:
- : Calico cats
- : Black and white tuxedo cats with a white strip of fur running down the middle of its face.
- These cats usually have white fur on its belly and black fur on its back and face, with a strip of white fur extending from its nose up to its forehead. refers to the number 8, the kanji character for which is . comes from the verb , meaning to divide or split. The strip of white fur on these cats faces is splitting the black fur and making it look like the kanji character . Thus the reason for their name, .
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How To Say Cat In Japanese
wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 13 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 108,526 times.
Japanese is a very interesting language, and one of the most exciting ones to learn. Saying cat in Japanese is also very easy. Read on to learn how.
Animal Sounds In Japanese Words
- B.A., Kwansei Gakuin University
In different languages, there is little consensus about what sounds animals make. This holds true in Japanese as well as other tongues. In English, for example, a cow says “moo,” but in French, it’s closer to “meu” or “meuh.” In Japanese, the bovine says “moo moo.” American dogs say “woof,” but in Italy, man’s best friend makes a sound more like “bau.” In Japanese, they say “wan wan.” Below are the sounds various animals “say” in Japanese.
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Example #: How To Say Kitten In Japanese
ano koneko wa kanari chiisai That kitten is very small.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- ano : a determiner used before a noun which refers to a thing not close to the speaker. This works in a similar way that the English determiner, that, does. In the example, it is used before koneko to say that kitten in Japanese.
- kanari : an adverb used to emphasize the meaning of its following word. This works as an adverb of degree and is often translated as very, much, so, or such. In the example, it is used to emphasize the meaning of chiisai.
- chiisai : an i-adjective meaning small in Japanese.
This is a typical usage of koneko. When we want to say kitten in Japanese, this word is the best choice.
The Word Cat In Japanese
Cat is neko in Japanese. Its usually written in kanji , but you often also see the katakana or hiragana version.The sound a cat makes is not meow, but nya .Thats why little kids often dont sayneko, but nyanko or nyanko-chan when they see a cat.
Even popular mascots have nyan in their name. Best example is Hikones Hikonyan .
In a lot of anime or manga series with cat characters, youll notice they dont speak standard Japanese.Words or sentence endings with na are changed into nya.
For example, nantoka naru becomes nyantoka nyaru.It also sounds a lot cuter. Try to pay close attention next time you watch / read something in Japanese with a cat character.
Cute cat items I bought in Yufuin where you can observe the nya-phenomenon. )
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Funny Cat Expressions And Phrases In Japanese
Its not a secret.I love cats and I adore the way cats are implemented in the Japanese language.
Today I want to introduce a few cat expressions and phrases in Japanese that you might want to remember!Dont worry, theyre not very difficult and even someone with only basic Japanese knowledge should be able to understand them.
Tips For Choosing Japanese Cat Names
If you long to choose a Japanese name for your cat, the choices are nearly endless. It doesnt matter if you just like the way a Japanese cat name sounds, or you are more drawn to the names meaning.
You might find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Japanese names to choose from. To narrow it down, start by considering your cats gender, color, markings and of course her unique personality. Most important, look for a name that you like the sound of and one thats easy for you to pronounce.
Below you will find a selection of 75 Japanese cat names. Whether or not you find your new cats name on one of these lists, these ideas are sure to lead you on the path to the perfect Japanese cat name.
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