How do you say "cat" in Japanese?

猫

neko

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "cat" is 猫 (neko).

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Pronunciation

猫 is written using kanji. Romanised as neko, it sounds roughly like "neh-koh" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

猫 is a very common kanji for cat. It appears frequently in everyday Japanese and cultural references, reflecting the cat's importance as a pet and cultural icon.

Example sentence

猫は昼間よく眠ります。

Neko wa hiruma yoku nemurimasu.

A cat often sleeps during the day.

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How to remember 猫

The kanji 猫 features the animal radical, marking a domestic feline.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more bakery words.

Questions about 猫

How do you pronounce 猫?

猫 is romanised as neko. Say it roughly like "neh-koh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 猫 formal or casual?

猫 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 猫 written in Japanese?

猫 is written using kanji. 猫 is a very common kanji for cat.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Cat" in other languages

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