← Kanji module
N4 · 4 strokes · 94. 牛 cow · Irodori #107 · Elementary 1 L2
犬
dog
Stroke diagrams © KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Readings
- On’yomi
- ケン
- Kun’yomi
- いぬ、いぬ-
Example words
犬
いぬ
dog (Canis (lupus) familiaris); canine
犬歯
けんし
eyetooth; cuspid
犬小屋
いぬごや
kennel; doghouse
犬も食わない
いぬもくわない
avoided by everybody; disliked by everybody
Memory aids
Guided learn session →How to remember
Shape
A compact 4-stroke character meaning "dog" — trace the strokes while picturing the concept.
Components
Contains the 94. 牛 cow component — use "牛" as a clue to remember "dog" for 犬.
Anchor word
犬 (いぬ) — your first meeting with this kanji in Irodori.
Readings
First learned in 犬 (いぬ) — recall the word to unlock the reading. Kun'yomi: いぬ、いぬ- — often used in native Japanese words (like 犬). On'yomi: ケン — common in compound words (熟語).