猫

猫 (canonical)
猫 (canonical)
neko (romanization)
匹 (counter)

Nagahama-Santō (Nagahama-Maibara) Shiga Prefecture

Yuki (Jinsekikōgen), Hiroshima Prefecture

Tokuji (Yamaguchi), Yamaguchi Prefecture

Kagami (Yatsushiro), Kumamoto Prefecture

Minna Island (Tarama, Okinawa)
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki
Tarama, Okinawa

⟨neko₁⟩ → /neko/
From Old Japanese. Cognate with Miyako にか (nika, “cat”, Tarama and Minna dialects) via unknown Japonic substratum.
A comparison of accent patterns between the dialects shows some confusion (see dialectal data):
* One group of dialects behaves as if was the Heian Kyoto accent pattern: many dialects with the Tokyo type accent, including the standard Japanese in Tokyo, pronounce this word with an pitch pattern, and in some non-mainstream Keihan type dialects as well, this word has a corresponding pitch pattern.
* Another group of dialects behaves as if was the Heian Kyoto accent pattern: the mainstream Keihan type dialects pronounce this word with an pitch pattern, and in a few of the Tokyo type dialects, this word has a corresponding pitch pattern.
As a result, this term is one example of words that have the same pitch accent pattern between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto. The confusion seems to be due to an impression that the term comes from a compound word origin.
One theory explains that neko is shortened from earlier 猫(ねこま) (nekoma) , but neko has a first appearance in literature earlier than that for nekoma.
First attested in the Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki of 794.

cog

猫が二匹居る。

家には猫が三匹います。

猫狸 [...] ニ又漢云野貍、倭言上尼古、下多〻既

Cat and raccoon dog, … both of them are called 野貍 (yari) in Chinese; the former is called 尼古 (⟨neko₁⟩ → neko) while the latter is called 多〻既 (⟨tatake₂⟩ → tatake) in Japanese.

eating anything hot due to having an overly sensitive tongue


猫

Shinsen Jikyō
Wamyō Ruijushō
Yupian
ja:和名類聚抄
ja:本草和名
ja:河海抄

According to the 和名類聚抄 (Wamyō Ruijushō), 931–938, 猫(ねこ) (neko) is short for this word.
:
:
猫: 野王案、猫、音苗、禰古麻、下總本有和名二字興河海抄引此合、本草和名同訓、或省云禰古、新撰字鏡、狸、禰古、按狸一名猫、見本草和名、似虎而小、熊捕鼠為糧
Cat. According to Yewang, cat, sound-reading myō, [Japanese reading] nekoma; later compendiums have a two character Japanese name- perhaps the Rivers and Seas Annotations references this compilation, the Honzō wamyō [has] a kun homophone, certain omissions call it 'neko', [in the] Shinsen Jikyō 'tanuki'- [read] neko, to check 'tanuki' [as] one name [for] a cat - see the Honzō wamyō; like a tiger but small, the creature catches rats for food
One theory describes the first mora as onomatopoeia for the sound a cat makes (cf. にゃ (nya); compare English mew, meow). The last two morae might accord with 熊(くま) (kuma, “bear”) if it were from Proto-Japonic *koma (class 2.3 ), in the sense of "four-legged animal". The Heian Kyoto accent of this word is ; note that in compound words for species names, the pitch pattern may be simplified to <-HL> when the final element is a 2-mora noun (e.g. 青海苔 (aonori, “green laver”, < àwònórì < *àwò-nòrì), and the presence or absence of this phenomenon could explain the accent confusion in neko.
However, nekoma is first cited to 918 in the 本草和名 (Honzō Wamyō, the oldest surviving dictionary of medicine in Japan), while neko is first attested in 794.
:
:
家狸、一名猫、和名禰古末
A house raccoon; also called a cat; the Japanese name is nekoma.

ux

Cat. According to Yewang, cat, sound-reading myō, 􂀿Japanese reading􂁀 nekoma; later compendiums have a two character Japanese name- perhaps the Rivers and Seas Annotations references this compilation, the Honzō wamyō 􂀿has􂁀 a kun homophone, certain omissions call it 'neko', 􂀿in the􂁀 Shinsen Jikyō 'tanuki'- 􂀿read􂁀 neko, to check 'tanuki' 􂀿as􂁀 one name 􂀿for􂁀 a cat - see the Honzō wamyō; like a tiger but small, the creature catches rats for food

家狸、一名猫、和名禰古末


虎

虎 (canonical)
虎 (canonical)
tora (romanization)

From Old Japanese to₁ra, from Proto-Japonic *tora.
Pellard (2013, 92) includes to₁ra among words with o₁ excepted from the /-o-/ to /-u-/ vowel-raising rule and not originating from earlier diphthongs. According to Vovin (2021, 111), West Old Japanese *to₁ra, instead of expected *tura, is "anomalous" and possibly "a case of a sporadic analogical development".
Vovin (2013) asserts that this word is same as a Silla place name 刀良 (/*tora/), which matches the Old Japanese phonographic spelling.

Panthera tigris
Panthera tigris#Translingual


豹

ja-noun

豹(ひょう) or 豹(ヒョウ) • (hyō) ^(←へう (feu) or ヘウ (feu)?)

豹 (canonical)
豹 (canonical)
hyō (romanization)
feu (romanization)
へう (hiragana historical)
ヘウ (hiragana historical)

Panthera pardus
Panthera pardus#Translingual

a leopard (a large wild cat with a spotted coat, Panthera pardus)


にゃ

The hiragana syllable にゃ (nya). Its equivalent in katakana is ニャ (nya).


にゃあ

ja-pos

にゃあ or ニャー • (nyā)

にゃあ (canonical)
ニャー (canonical)
nyā (romanization)


獅子

獅子 (canonical)
獅子 (canonical)
shishi (romanization)

From Middle Chinese 獅子 (MC srij tsiX, literally “lion + (diminutive suffix)”)

ltc-l

除夜の獅子 除夜の獅子#Japanese

short for 除夜の獅子 (joya no shishi, “New Year's lion”), a person dressed in costume as for a lion dance who goes door to door begging on New Year's Eve


雪豹

ja-noun

雪(ゆき)豹(ひょう) or 雪豹(ユキヒョウ) • (yukihyō) ^(←ゆきへう (yukifeu) or ユキヘウ (yukifeu)?)

雪豹 (canonical)
雪豹 (canonical)
yukihyō (romanization)
yukifeu (romanization)
ゆきへう (hiragana historical)
ユキヘウ (hiragana historical)

[jɯ̟kʲi̥ço̞ː]


ペルシャ

ja:ペルシャ (ネコ)


ピューマ

ピューマ • (pyūma)


シュレーディンガーの猫

^シュレーディンガー の ねこ

シュレーディンガーの猫 (canonical)
Shurēdingā no neko (romanization)

シュレーディンガー (Shurēdingā, from German Schrödinger) + の (no, “’s”) + 猫 (neko, “cat”), calque of German Schrödingers Katze

af

from German <i class="Latn mention" lang="de">Schrödinger</i>

(physics, quantum mechanics) Schrödinger's cat

ja:シュレーディンガーの猫


山猫

山猫 (canonical)
山猫 (canonical)
yamaneko (romanization)

2007 October 20, Izawa, Hiroshi with Yamada, Kotaro, “最(さい)終(しゅう)話(わ) それぞれの道(みち)へ [Final Chapter: Epilog]”, in ファイアーエムブレム 覇者の剣 [Fire Emblem: Sword of Champions], Jump Remix edition, volume 5 (fiction), Tokyo: Shueisha, →ISBN, page 350:

リキアの山猫チャド

Felis silvestris
Felis silvestris#Translingual

ja:ヤマネコ
ja:ヤマネコ (種)


にゃんこ

にゃんこ (canonical)
ニャンコ (canonical)
nyanko (romanization)

Compound of にゃん (nyan, “meow”) + こ (ko, “thing”).


ジャガー

ja-noun

ジャガー • (jagā)


白虎

ja-pos

白(びゃっ)虎(こ) • (Byakko) ^(←びやくこ (Byakuko)?)

白虎 (canonical)
Byakko (romanization)
Byakuko (romanization)
びやくこ (hiragana historical)

White Tiger, one of the Four Symbols in the Chinese constellations


白虎

白虎 (canonical)
Hakko (romanization)
Fakuko (romanization)
はくこ (hiragana historical)


エジプシャンマウ

[e̞ʑipɯ̟̊ɕa̠m ma̠ɯ̟]


猫耳

Compound of 猫 (neko, “cat”) + 耳 (mimi, “ear”).

猫耳をつけたまま電車に乗る

to board the train while still wearing cat ears

(neologism) Cat ears, as worn or possessed by a human or humanoid.


三毛猫

三毛 (mike, “calico's fur”) + 猫 (neko, “cat”)


アビシニアン

[a̠bʲiɕiɲ̟iã̠ɴ]


マンクス

[mã̠ŋkɯ̟̊sɨ]


黒猫

From 黒 (kuro, “black”) + 猫 (neko, “cat”).

彼は純粋の黒猫である。


香箱座り

香箱座り (canonical)
kōbako-zuwari (romanization)

Compound of 香箱 (kōbako, “incense box”) + 座り (suwari, “sitting”, the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 座る (suwaru, “to sit”)). The suwari changes to zuwari as an instance of rendaku (連濁).
Refers to the similarity in shape between an incense box, and a cat when sitting with its front and back paws tucked underneath and its tail wrapped closely along the side of its body.

compound

香箱を組む: → to sit down in a catloaf pose

to come together / fold one's limbs into an incense box shape


ライガー

ja-noun

ライガー • (raigā)


白猫

From 白 (shiro, “white”) + 猫 (neko, “cat”).


雲豹

雲(うん)豹(ぴょう) or 雲豹(ウンピョウ) • (unpyō) ^(←うんぺう (unpeu) or ウンペウ (unpeu)?)

雲豹 (canonical)
雲豹 (canonical)
unpyō (romanization)
unpeu (romanization)
うんぺう (hiragana historical)
ウンペウ (hiragana historical)


狩猟豹

狩猟豹 (canonical)
shuryōhyō (romanization)


チーター

チーター • (chītā)


ボンベイ

ja:ボンベイ (曖昧さ回避)

Bombay, Mumbai (a megacity, the capital of Maharashtra, India)


アメリカヒョウ

アメリカ (Amerika, “America”) + 豹 (hyō, “leopard”)


ベンガル山猫

ja-noun

ベンガル山(やま)猫(ねこ) or ベンガル山猫(ヤマネコ) • (Bengaru yamaneko)

ベンガル山猫 (canonical)
ベンガル山猫 (canonical)
Bengaru yamaneko (romanization)

[bẽ̞ŋɡa̠ɾɯ̟ ja̠ma̠ne̞ko̞]

ベンガル (bengaru, “Bengal”) + 山猫(やまねこ) (yamaneko, “wildcat”)

ja-compound

Prionailurus bengalensis
Prionailurus bengalensis#Translingual


ベンガル

ja:ベンガル ja:ベンガル地方

From English Bengal. Doublet of 弁柄 (bengara).


ベンガル

ja:ベンガル
ja:ベンガル (ネコ)


リビアヤマネコ

リビアヤマネコ (canonical)
リビアやまねこ (canonical)
ribiayamaneko (romanization)

リビア (Ribia, “Libya”) + ヤマネコ (yamaneko, “wildcat”).


マヌルネコ

ja-noun

マヌルネコ or マヌルねこ or マヌルネコ • (manuruneko)

マヌルネコ (canonical)
マヌルねこ (canonical)
manuruneko (romanization)


ケット・シー

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic Cat Sìth (“Fairy Cat”), which is misconstructed as cait (“cat's”) + sìth (“fairy”).

2001 August 27, Kozue Amano, “Navigation(ナビゲーション)04(れいよん) 猫(ねこ)の王(おう)国(こく) [Navigation 04: Kingdom of the Cats]”, in AQUA(アクア) [Aqua], volume 1 (fiction), Tokyo: Enix, →ISBN, page 112:

The King of the Cats is known as the Cat Sìth

猫の王様は猫妖精といって


チェシャ猫

チェシャ猫 (canonical)
Chesha Neko (romanization)

Calque of English Cheshire cat, from チェシャ (Chesha, “Cheshire”) + 猫 (neko, “cat”).


大山猫

ja-noun

大(おお)山(やま)猫(ねこ) or 大山猫(オオヤマネコ) • (ōyamaneko) ^(←おほやまねこ (ofoyamaneko) or オホヤマネコ (ofoyamaneko)?)

大山猫 (canonical)
大山猫 (canonical)
ōyamaneko (romanization)
ofoyamaneko (romanization)
おほやまねこ (hiragana historical)
オホヤマネコ (hiragana historical)

大 (ō, “big”) + 山猫 (yamaneko, “wild cat”)


ヨーロッパオオヤマネコ

ja-noun

^ヨーロッパ オオヤマネコ

^ヨーロッパ おおやまねこ

ヨーロッパオオヤマネコ or ヨーロッパおおやまねこ • (Yōroppa ōyamaneko)

ヨーロッパオオヤマネコ (canonical)
ヨーロッパおおやまねこ (canonical)
Yōroppa ōyamaneko (romanization)

ヨーロッパ (Yōroppa, “Europe”) + オオヤマネコ (ōyamaneko, “lynx”).


狻猊

ja-noun

狻(さん)猊(げい) or 狻(しゅん)猊(げい) • (sangei or shungei)

狻猊 (canonical)
狻猊 (canonical)
sangei (romanization)
shungei (romanization)

(Chinese mythology) a suanni, a cross between a dragon and a lion

(loosely, rare) Synonym of 獅子 (shishi, “lion”)


狻猊

ja-pos

狻(さん)猊(げい) or 狻(しゅん)猊(げい) • (Sangei or Shungei)

狻猊 (canonical)
狻猊 (canonical)
Sangei (romanization)
Shungei (romanization)

(Chinese mythology) the suanni that was one of the nine sons of the dragon


インドライオン

インド (Indo, “India”) + ライオン (raion, “lion”).


サーバル

[sa̠ːba̠ɾɯ̟]

Borrowed from English serval. See that entry for further information.

Leptailurus serval
Leptailurus serval#Translingual

serval, Leptailurus serval (species of wild cat found in Africa)


マーゲイ

ja-noun

マーゲイ • (māgei)

From English margay, from Spanish margay.


アムールトラ

[a̠mɯ̟ːɾɯ̟ to̞ɾa̠]

From アムール (Amūru, “Amur”) + 虎 (tora, “tiger”).


スマトラトラ

スマトラ (Sumatora, “Sumatra”) + 虎 (tora, “tiger”)


スフィンクス

[sɨ̥ɸʲĩŋkɯ̟sɨ̥]


台湾虎

ja-noun

台(たい)湾(わん)虎(とら) or 台湾虎(タイワントラ) • (Taiwan tora)

台湾虎 (canonical)
台湾虎 (canonical)
tora (Taiwan)

Synonym of 雲豹 (unpyō, “clouded leopard”)


三毛

a calico cat's fur, featuring the three colors of white, black, and orange


イリオモテヤマネコ

イリオモテヤマネコ or いりおもてやまねこ or イリオモテヤマネコ • (iriomoteyamaneko)

イリオモテヤマネコ (canonical)
いりおもてやまねこ (canonical)
iriomoteyamaneko (romanization)

西表 (Iriomote) + 山猫 (yamaneko, “wildcat”)

af

ja:イリオモテヤマネコ


サーベルタイガー

ja-noun

サーベルタイガー • (sāberu taigā)

[sa̠ːbe̞ɾɯ̟ ta̠iɡa̠ː]

* Wasei eigo (和製英語; pseudo-anglicism), derived from saber + tiger
* サーベル (sāberu, “saber”) + タイガー (taigā, “tiger”)

af

Synonym of 剣歯虎 (kenshiko, “saber-toothed tiger”)


剣歯虎

[kẽ̞ɰ̃ɕi̥ko̞]

From 剣(けん) (ken, “sword”) + 歯(し) (shi, “tooth”) + 虎(こ) (ko, “tiger”). Compare Chinese 劍齒虎 /剑齿虎 (jiànchǐhǔ), Korean 검치호 (geomchiho), Vietnamese hổ răng kiếm.


ごろごろ

ごろごろ (canonical)
ゴロゴロ (canonical)
gorogoro (romanization)


ごろごろ

ごろごろする (canonical)
ゴロゴロする (canonical)
gorogoro suru (romanization)
ごろごろし (stem)
ごろごろした (past)

家でごろごろする


長靴をはいた猫

ja-pos

^ながぐつ を ^はいた ^ねこ

長(なが)靴(ぐつ)をはいた猫(ねこ) • (Nagagutsu o Haita Neko)

長靴をはいた猫 (canonical)
Nagagutsu o Haita Neko (romanization)


トラネコ

トラネコ (canonical)
とらねこ (canonical)
toraneko (romanization)

From 虎(とら) (tora, “tiger”) + 猫(ねこ) (neko, “cat”).


チョウセントラ

From 朝鮮 (Chōsen, “Korea”) + 虎 (tora, “tiger”).

af

アムールトラ アムールトラ#Japanese

Synonym of アムールトラ (Amūru tora, “Siberian tiger”)


シベリアトラ

From シベリア (Shiberia, “Siberia”) + 虎 (“tiger”).

アムールトラ アムールトラ#Japanese


シャム猫

シャム猫 (canonical)
Shamu neko (romanization)

From シャム (Shamu, “Siam”) + 猫 (neko, “cat”).


ロシアンブルー

[ɾo̞ɕia̠m bɯ̟ɾɯ̟ː]


ヒマラヤン

[çima̠ɾa̠jã̠ɴ]


猫免疫不全ウイルス

ja-noun

ねこ めんえき ふぜん ウイルス

ネコ めんえき ふぜん ウイルス

猫(ねこ)免(めん)疫(えき)不(ふ)全(ぜん)ウイルス or 猫免疫不全(ネコめんえきふぜん)ウイルス • (neko men'eki fuzen uirusu)

猫免疫不全ウイルス (canonical)
猫免疫不全ウイルス (canonical)
neko men'eki fuzen uirusu (romanization)

Calque of English feline immunodeficiency virus, equivalent to 猫 (neko, “cat”) + 免疫不全 (men'eki fuzen, “immunodeficiency”) + ウイルス (uirusu, “virus”)

af

ja:猫後天性免疫不全症候群


アメリカンカール

[a̠me̞ɾʲika̠ŋ ka̠ːɾɯ̟]


メインクーン

ja-noun

メインクーン • (Mein Kūn)


バーミーズ

バーミーズ • (Bāmīzu)


バーマン

バーマン • (Bāman)


コーニッシュレックス

^コーニッシュ ^レックス

[ko̞ːɲ̟iɕːɨ ɾe̞k̚kɯ̟̊sɨ]

ja:コーニッシュレックス


バリニーズ

[ba̠ɾʲiɲ̟iːzɨ]


スコティッシュフォールド

^スコティッシュ ^フォールド

スコティッシュフォールド

[sɨ̥ko̞tʲiɕːɨ̥ ɸo̞ːɾɯ̟do̞]

ja:スコティッシュフォールド


ブリティッシュショートヘア

^ブリティッシュ ^ショートヘア

ブリティッシュショートヘア

[bɯ̟ɾʲitʲiɕːɨ̥ ɕo̞ːto̞he̞a̠]

ja:ブリティッシュショートヘア


ラグドール

[ɾa̠ɡɯ̟do̞ːɾɯ̟]


ターキッシュアンゴラ

^ターキッシュ ^アンゴラ

[ta̠ːkʲiɕːɨ ã̠ŋɡo̞ɾa̠]

ja:ターキッシュアンゴラ


ノルウェージャンフォレストキャット

^ノルウェージャン ^フォレスト キャット

ノルウェージャンフォレストキャット • (Noruwējan Foresuto kyatto)

Noruwējan Foresuto kyatto (romanization)

Norwegian Forest cat
Norwegian Forest cat

ja:ノルウェージャンフォレストキャット


アメリカン・ショートヘア

^アメリカン・^ショートヘア

ja:アメリカン・ショートヘア


シンガプーラ

[ɕĩŋɡa̠pɯ̟ːɾa̠]

From English Singapura. Doublet of シンガポール (Shingapōru).


シャルトリュー

[ɕa̠ɾɯ̟to̞ɾʲɨː]

From English Chartreux, from French Chartreux.


ジャパニーズボブテイル

^ジャパニーズ ^ボブテイル

[d͡ʑa̠pa̠ɲ̟iːzɨ bo̞bɯ̟te̞ːɾɯ̟]

ja:ジャパニーズボブテイル


アメリカンワイヤーヘア

^アメリカン ^ワイヤーヘア

ja:アメリカンワイヤーヘア


コラット

From English Korat, from Thai โคราช (koo-râat).


ターキッシュバン

[ta̠ːkʲi̥ɕːɨ bã̠ɴ]


キムリック

[kʲimɯ̟ɾʲik̚kɯ̟]


ソマリ

ソマリ語

(attributive) the quality of belonging to the Somalis


猫吸い

→ Mandarin: 吸貓 /吸猫 (xīmāo)

From 猫(ねこ) (neko, “cat”) + 吸(す)い (sui, “sucking, 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 吸(す)う (suu, “to suck”).”).


老猫

ja-noun

老(ろう)猫(びょう) • (rōbyō) ^(←らうべう (raubeu)?)

老猫 (canonical)
rōbyō (romanization)
raubeu (romanization)
らうべう (hiragana historical)


中猫

cat older than a kitten but not yet an adult


にゃあにゃあ

ja-pos

にゃあにゃあ or ニャーニャー • (nyānyā) ^(←にゃあにゃあ (nyaanyaa)?)

にゃあにゃあ (canonical)
ニャーニャー (canonical)
nyānyā (romanization)
nyaanyaa (romanization)
にゃあにゃあ (hiragana historical)

[ɲ̟a̠ːɲ̟a̠ː]


イカ耳

Compound of 烏賊 (ika, “squid”) + 耳 (mimi, “ear”), referring to the cat's ears resembling the shape of a squid.

(neologism) "Airplane ears", ears folded by a cat when it is upset or uneasy.


ふみふみ

(neologism) Kneading, the behavior cats do by pressing their front paws on a surface when they feel relaxed.


スコずわり

[sɨko̞zɨβ̞a̠ɾʲi]

From スコティッシュフォールド (Sukotisshu Fōrudo, shortened) + 座(すわ)り (suwari). The suwari changes to zuwari as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

ja-compound

^スコティッシュ ^フォールド

upright sitting pose characteristic of Scottish Fold cats; Buddha pose


ごめん寝

ごめん寝 (canonical)
gomen-ne (romanization)

[ɡo̞mẽ̞nːe̞]

Blend of ごめんね (gomen ne, “I'm sorry”) + 寝 (ne, “sleeping”), referring to the use of dogeza in apology.

blend

(slang, of cats) sleeping in a dogeza-like position, with the face covered


ネッコ

(Internet slang, originally 2channel slang) Alternative form of ネコ (neko, “cat”)