飼い主（かいぬし、kainushi）
- pet owner

The word 飼い主 飼い主 (kai-nushi) refers to the owner of a pet or domestic animal. It signifies the person who is responsible for the care, well-being, and ownership of an animal. This includes providing food, shelter, and medical care. The term is commonly used in relation to dogs, cats, birds, and other animals kept as pets.

⚫︎ 犬の飼い主 Translation: Dog owner ⚫︎ 猫の飼い主は猫に餌をあげた。 Translation: The cat's owner fed the cat. ⚫︎ あの公園にはたくさんの飼い主と犬がいます。 Translation: There are many owners and dogs in that park.

You use 飼い主 飼い主 when talking about the person who owns a pet. It's suitable for various contexts, such as conversations, written descriptions, and announcements related to animals. You can use it in everyday conversations, pet-related business settings (veterinarians, pet shops), and more formal situations.

飼い主 飼い主 is typically written with the kanji 飼 (kai - to keep, to raise) and 主 (nushi - owner, master). The hiragana reading is かいぬし. There are no significant variations in the okurigana. The spelling is fixed.

There aren't many direct synonyms, but depending on the context, you could use phrases like: ⚫︎ ペットの親 (petto no oya) - parent of a pet (used informally, emphasizing care) ⚫︎ ペットオーナー (petto oonaa) - pet owner (loanword from English, more formal)

There are no direct antonyms, but you could consider words related to the lack of ownership or responsibility: ⚫︎ 野良犬 (norainu) - stray dog ⚫︎ 捨てられた猫 (suterareta neko) - abandoned cat

その犬の飼い主はとても優しいです。 ・Translation: The owner of that dog is very kind. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the owner's character and their relationship with the dog.

飼い主は新しいペットのためにリードを買った。 ・Translation: The owner bought a leash for the new pet. ・Explanation: This sentence shows the actions taken by the owner for their pet.

The word 飼い主 飼い主 is formed from the verb 飼う (kau - to keep, raise, feed an animal) and the noun 主 (nushi - owner, master). The combination of these two elements creates the meaning of "one who keeps or owns" an animal.