犬（いぬ、inu）
- dog

The Japanese word 犬 (いぬ) means "dog". It refers to the domesticated canid mammal, known for its loyalty and companionship to humans. It encompasses a wide range of breeds and sizes.

⚫︎ 犬が庭で遊んでいます。 Translation: The dog is playing in the garden. ⚫︎ あの犬はとても可愛いですね！ Translation: That dog is very cute! ⚫︎ 彼は犬を飼っています。 Translation: He owns a dog.

⚫︎ 犬 is a very common word and can be used in various contexts to talk about dogs. ⚫︎ It is used to refer to dogs in general or to a specific dog. ⚫︎ You can use it when talking about pets, dog breeds, or dogs in different situations. ⚫︎ Be careful not to confuse 犬 with other related words like "wolf" (狼 - オオカミ) or "puppy" (子犬 - こいぬ).

⚫︎ The word 犬 is most commonly written using the kanji 犬. ⚫︎ The hiragana reading is いぬ. ⚫︎ Katakana is not typically used for this word. ⚫︎ There are no significant variations in the okurigana.

There are no direct synonyms for "dog" in Japanese in the same way. However, you might use more descriptive terms: ⚫︎ 愛犬 (あいけん) - "Beloved dog" or "pet dog." ⚫︎ ワンちゃん (wan-chan) - A more casual and cute way of saying "dog", similar to "doggie".

There aren't specific antonyms in the same way as in English, as 犬 represents a specific animal. However, you could contrast it with other animals or animal-related terms.

私は犬が大好きです。 ・Translation: I love dogs. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 犬 to express a general fondness for dogs.

その犬はとても賢い。 ・Translation: That dog is very smart. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the intelligence of a specific 犬.

The etymology of 犬 is not completely clear, but it is considered an Old Japanese word. The kanji 犬 originally pictographically represented a dog.