Animal Kanji: Cat 猫, Dog 犬, and the Animal Radical
猫 (neko, cat) and 犬 (inu, dog) are gateway animal kanji. Learn their readings and the 犭 radical that marks dozens of other animals.
Pets are a friendly entry point into animal kanji — and they teach a radical that unlocks a whole zoo of other creatures.
犬 (inu) — dog
- On'yomi: ケン (ken)
- Kun'yomi: いぬ (inu)
- Stroke count: 4 — it's 大 (big) with an extra dot.
- Words: 子犬 (koinu, puppy), 愛犬 (aiken, beloved dog), 番犬 (banken, guard dog).
猫 (neko) — cat
- On'yomi: ビョウ (byō)
- Kun'yomi: ねこ (neko)
- Stroke count: 11
- Words: 子猫 (koneko, kitten), 黒猫 (kuroneko, black cat).
The 犭 “animal” radical
See that 犭 on the left of 猫? It's a compressed form of 犬 and it marks beast/mammal kanji. Once you know it, you'll recognize the animal theme instantly in 狼 (ōkami, wolf), 猿 (saru, monkey), 狐 (kitsune, fox), and many more.
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