The most common word for "dog" in Japanese is "inu" (犬). This term is used generally and can refer to a dog or dogs in plural. Other related words include:
- "koinu" (子犬) meaning "puppy"
- "wanko" (ワンコ), a cute or affectionate way to say dog or puppy
- "doggu" (ドッグ), a loan word from English "dog"
- "kaiinu" (飼い犬), meaning "pet dog"
- "norainu" (野良犬), meaning "stray dog"
The basic and widely used word remains "inu" (犬). If you want to simply say "dog" in Japanese, use "inu" (犬).
