Japanese Conversation · Level 30
90 words
Japanese word
子犬
Pronunciation
Romajikoinu
Meaning
- nounpuppy
Example
庭で子犬が遊んでいます。niwa de ko inu ga aso n de i ma su
A puppy is playing in the yard.
More examples
子犬には毎日新鮮な水を与えます。ko inu ni wa mai nichi shin sen na mizu o ata e ma su
We give the puppy fresh water every day.
Core concept
Points to a dog in the early part of its life, before it develops into a mature adult dog.
Common phrases
子犬を育てるko inu o soda te ru
raise a puppy
子犬に餌をやるko inu ni esa o ya ru
feed a puppy
子犬と遊ぶko inu to aso bu
play with a puppy
Similar words
幼犬yōken: A young dog, especially in formal or technical descriptions.
パピーpapī: A loanword used to refer to a dog that is still young.
Definition in Japanese
まだ大人になっていない若い犬。ma da otona ni na tte i na i waka i inu
Word origin
子犬 (koinu) is a Japanese compound of 子 (ko, "child") and 犬 (inu, "dog"), using 子 to mark the dog's young age.
Usage tips
- The word 子犬 (koinu) is useful when talking about a dog's age, whereas a small adult dog is not necessarily a 子犬 (koinu).