Neko

Japanese Cat Words

Domestic cats were first introduced to Japan in large numbers around the 6th century CE. Since then they have become deeply ingrained in the country's forklore, religions and popular culture. Japanese people live and love for their cats. You can tell as they have many words and phrases relating to cats in Nihongo (Japanese). It is indeed the very word "neko" (cat) that when the first software pet was created, it was named the same as its real life version. Even outside of Japan, 'neko' has become synonymous with Japanese cat and anime culture. Listed here are numerous cat-related words from the Japanese language, along with their English and Mauritian Creole translations (Mauritian Creole is my heritage language). You'll likely notice that many of these featured words have 'neko' in them.





aibyou 愛猫 / あいびょう (🇲🇺 sat bieneme) :: pet cat; beloved cat
aibyouka 愛猫家 / あいびょうか (🇲🇺 amoure sat) :: cat lover; ailurophile
bakeneko 化け猫 :: changing/ghost cat
bineko 美猫 (🇲🇺 zoli sat) :: pretty cat
buchi neko ぶち猫 / ぶちねこ (🇲🇺 sat tache) :: piebald or patched cat
cha tora 茶トラ (🇲🇺 tabby oranz) :: 'tea tiger'; orange tabby
chiiki neko 地域猫 / ちいきねこ (🇲🇺 bann sat kominoter) :: community cat
dora neko どら猫 (🇲🇺 sat eran) :: stray cat (pejorative)
hachiware ハチワレ :: tuxedo/bicolour cat
haineko 灰猫 (🇲🇺 sat gri) :: grey/silver cat
haishironeko 灰白猫 (🇲🇺 sat gri ek blan) :: grey and white cat
hogo neko 保護猫 / ほごねこ (🇲🇺 sat finn sove) :: rescue cat
ie neko 家猫 / いえねこ (🇲🇺 sat domestik) :: pet cat; house cat
kai neko 飼い猫 (🇲🇺 sat domestik) :: pet cat; house cat
kijitora キジトラ (🇲🇺 tabby maron) :: 'pheasant tiger'; brown tabby
koneko 仔猫 / 子猫 / 小猫 (🇲🇺 ti-chaton) :: kitten
konekochan 子猫ちゃん / こねこちゃん (🇲🇺 ti-chaton) :: little kitten
kuroneko 黒猫 (🇲🇺 sat nwar) :: black cat; "void" cat
maneki neko 招き猫 (🇲🇺 sat ki pe fer sign) :: lucky cat; beckoning cat of fortune
mikeneko ミケねこ / 三毛猫 (🇲🇺 sat kaliko) :: calico
neko 猫 / ねこ / ネコ (🇲🇺 sat) :: cat
neko dango 猫団子 (🇲🇺 boul sat) :: cat pile
neko kafe 猫カフェ (🇲🇺 kafe sat) :: cat café
neko sui 猫吸い (🇲🇺 sat pe renife) :: cat-huffing
nekoashi 猫脚 (🇲🇺 lapat sat) :: cat legs
nekoashi konbu 猫足昆布 (🇲🇺 algue lapat sat) :: cat feet kelp
nekochan 猫ちゃん / ネコちゃん (🇲🇺 sat) :: kitty; little cat; cute cat
Nekoda 猫田 :: a Japanese surname
nekoguruma 猫車 (🇲🇺 brouet) :: cat car; wheelbarrow
nekogusa 猫草 (🇲🇺 lerb sat) :: cat-grass; okinagusa flower
nekoita 猫板 (🇲🇺 tablo pou sat) :: cat board
Nekojima 猫島 (🇲🇺 Zil Sat) :: Cat Island
nekojita 猫舌 (🇲🇺 lalang sat) :: cat's tongue
nekokke 猫っ毛 (🇲🇺 seve sat) :: cat hair
nekomanma 猫まんま / ねこまんま (🇲🇺 manze/diriz pou sat) :: cat's rice/meal (soup)
nekomata 猫又 :: fork-tailed cat; yokai
nekomeishi 猫目石 (🇲🇺 lizie sat) :: cat-eye stone
nekomimi 猫耳 (🇲🇺 zorey sat) :: cat ears
nekopanchi 猫パンチ (🇲🇺 koutpwin sat) :: cat punch
nekoshide 猫四手 (🇲🇺 sat kat lame) :: "four cats paws"; urajirokanba fern
Nekoshima 猫島 (🇲🇺 Zil Sat) :: Cat Island
Nekoyama 猫山 :: "cat mountain"
nekoyanagi 猫柳 :: catwillow; pussy willow
nekozame 猫鮫 (🇲🇺 rekin sat) :: catshark
nekoze 猫背 (🇲🇺 boukle) :: cat back; hunchback
no neko 野猫 / のねこ (🇲🇺 sat sovaz) :: feral cat; wildcat
noraneko 野良猫 / のらねこ (🇲🇺 sat eran) :: stray cat; street cat
nyanko にゃんこ / ニャンコ (🇲🇺 ti-chaton) :: kitten; kitty
oneko おねこ (🇲🇺 sat inb) :: humble cat
osuneko 牡猫 (🇲🇺 sat mal) :: tomcat; male cat
otoko neko 男猫 (🇲🇺 zom sat) :: male cat; man cat
sabatora サバトラ (🇲🇺 tabby larzan) :: 'mackerel tiger'; silver/grey tabby
sabineko サビねこ / サビ猫 (🇲🇺 sat kaliko) :: 'rusty cat'; tortoiseshell cat
shironeko 白猫 (🇲🇺 sat blan) :: white cat
sute neko 捨て猫 / すてねこ (🇲🇺 sat eran) :: thrown away cat
tobibuchi とび / ぶち :: speckled cat
toraneko 虎猫 (🇲🇺 tabby) :: tabby; tiger cat
umineko 海猫 / ウミネコ (🇲🇺 sat lamer) :: seacat; black-tailed seagull