Japanese word

ワンこ

Pronunciation

Romajiwanko

Meaning

  • noundoggy

Example

あのワンこはとてもかわいいです。a no wa n ko wa to te mo ka wa i i de su

That doggy is very cute.

Illustration for ワンこ (doggy)

More examples

公園で近所のワンこと遊びました。kō en de kin jo no wa n ko to aso bi ma shi ta

I played with a neighbor's doggy in the park.

Core concept

Refers to a dog in a warm, playful way rather than in a formal or neutral way.

Common phrases

  • ワンこを飼うwa n ko o ka u

    keep a dog

  • ワンこと遊ぶwa n ko to aso bu

    play with a dog

  • ワンこの飼い主wa n ko no ka i nushi

    dog owner

Similar words

犬inu: A domesticated animal commonly kept as a pet or working companion.
わんちゃんwanchan: A gentle, affectionate term for a dog, often used when speaking warmly or politely.
わん公wanōyake: A colloquial term for a dog that can sound rough, humorous, or slightly contemptuous.

Definition in Japanese

犬をかわいらしく表すくだけた呼び名。inu o ka wa i ra shi ku arawa su ku da ke ta yo bi na

Word origin

ワンこ (wanko) is a playful spelling of ワンコ (wanko), a colloquial form combining ワンワン (wanwan, "woof") and 子 (ko, "child").

Usage tips

  • In わんこそば (wanko soba), servers traditionally place repeated small bowls of noodles in front of diners, giving わんこ (wanko) a well-known food-related use.

Other meanings

  • dognoun

Word lists with this word