猫 means “cat”

ねこ · neko

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ねこ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ビョウ

Taught in secondary school · 11 strokes

The story

The maneki-neko (beckoning cat) sits in shop windows across Japan, one paw raised to invite fortune. Cats are beloved guardians of good luck, independence, and mystery.

Used in 子猫 (koneko, kitten) and 猫舌 (nekojita, sensitive tongue; lit. "cat tongue")

More from Animals & Creatures

• 牛 cow
• 馬 horse
• 虫 insect
• 羊 sheep
• 豚 pig
• 鹿 deer
• 熊 bear
• 蛇 snake
• 兎 rabbit
• 象 elephant
• 竜 dragon
• 亀 turtle

Learn 猫 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.