What does “nekomimi” mean in Japanese?
Native speakers say “nekomimi” to mean ‘cat ears’ in Japanese. Perhaps, some Japanese learners know this word as it is sometimes used in Japanese manga, anime, and the like. In this blog post, however, I will explain this word in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners understand “nekomimi” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!
Contents
Definition and meaning of “nekomimi”
Let me start with the definition and meaning of “nekomimi”.
- nekomimi – 猫耳 (ねこみみ) : a noun meaning ‘cat ears’ in Japanese. This can also work as singular. Learn more about Japanese singular and plural.
The definition and meaning are simple and clear. To understand this noun more clearly, however, let me explain its kanji characters in detail, one by one.
What does “nekomimi” literally mean in Japanese?
The kanji expression of “nekomimi” consists of the following two kanji characters:
- 猫 : a noun meaning ‘cat’ in Japanese.
- 耳 : a noun meaning ‘ear’ in Japanese.
These two kanji characters tell us that the formed noun literally means ‘cat ears’ in Japanese. Unlike “nekojita“, the kanji expression is completely in line with the actual meaning.
When we meet new kanji expressions, we should check their kanji characters in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, kanji characters tell us a lot about the meanings of the expressions they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of “nekomimi” through the detailed kanji check above.
So far, I’ve explained the definition and meaning of “nekomimi” together with its kanji characters. Then, let me explain how to use it through the example sentences below.
Example #1: how to say “cat ears” in Japanese
kanojo ga nekomimi wo tsuke te iru – 彼女が猫耳を付けている (かのじょがねこみみをつけている)
She is wearing cat ears.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- kanojo – 彼女 (かのじょ) : a pronoun meaning ‘she’ in Japanese.
- ga – が : a case particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “kanojo” to make the subject in the sentence.
- wo – を : a case particle used to make the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “nekomimi” to make the object in the sentence.
- tsuke – 付け (つけ) : one conjugation of the verb, “tsukeru”, which means ‘to attach’ or such in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
- te – て : a conjunctive particle used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its te form. In the example, this is used after “tsuke” to make its te form, “tsuke te”. Verbs need to be changed to their te forms to be connected with “iru”.
- iru – いる : an auxiliary verb used to express the continuity of the action described by its preceding verb. In the example, this is used after “tsuke te” to express the continuity of its action.
This is a typical usage of “nekomimi”. In this example, it works together with the case particle, “wo”, to become the object in the sentence.
Example #2: another usage of “nekomimi”
kare wa nekomimi ga suki desu – 彼は猫耳が好きです (かれはねこみみがすきです)
He loves cat ears.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- kare – 彼 (かれ) : a pronoun meaning ‘he’ in Japanese.
- wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “kare” to make the subject in the sentence.
- suki – 好き (すき) : the stem part of the na-adjective, “sukina”, which means ‘favorite’ in Japanese. Native speakers, however, often use this as an individual word to mean ‘to like’ or ‘to love’ in Japanese. In the example, this works to mean ‘to love’.
- desu – です : an auxiliary verb used after a noun or adjective to make it polite. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese desu form. In the example, this is used after “suki” to make it sound polite.
This is another typical usage of “nekomimi”. In this example, it works together with the case particle, “ga”, to become the object in the sentence. When we want to refer to cat ears in Japanese, anyway, this noun is a very good option.
Summary
In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meaning of “nekomimi” in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.
- nekomimi – 猫耳 (ねこみみ) : a noun meaning ‘cat ears’ in Japanese. This can also work as singular. These two kanji characters literally mean ‘cat ears’ in Japanese. So, the kanji expression is completely in line with the actual meaning.
Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.
