Maneki-Neko
/ma.ne.ki ne.ko/noun
A Japanese figurine of a cat with one raised paw, traditionally believed to attract good fortune, customers, or prosperity.
Did you know?The raised paw is not technically waving goodbye: in Japan, beckoning is traditionally done with the palm facing outward and fingers curling downward, which explains the statue’s pose.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Japonic
Japonic
*neko
“Reconstructed ancestral form associated with the word for cat; its deeper origin remains uncertain.”
8th Century
Old Japanese
maneku
“To invite, beckon, or entice someone to come.”
8th–10th Century
Old Japanese
neko
“Cat.”
17th–19th Century
Japanese
招く
“To beckon or invite; the verb later supplied the first element of the name.”
19th Century
Japanese
招き猫
“Beckoning cat; the name for the auspicious cat figurine associated with prosperity.”
Modern English
English
maneki-neko
“A Japanese lucky-cat figurine, widely displayed in businesses, homes, and restaurants.”