Shiba Inu
/ˈʃiː.bə ˈiː.nuː/noun
A small Japanese dog breed known for its alert expression, curled tail, and independent temperament.
Did you know?The Japanese word inu means “dog,” while shiba means “brushwood”; scholars debate whether the name refers to the breed’s reddish coat, its size, or the brush-covered mountains where it hunted.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Japanese
Old Japanese
inu
“Dog; an old native Japonic word for a domestic dog.”
Classical Japanese
Japanese
shiba
“Brushwood, especially dense low bushes or shrubs.”
19th Century
Japanese
Shiba inu
“Literally “brushwood dog,” a regional Japanese term for a small hunting dog.”
Early 20th Century
Japanese
柴犬
“The standardized written form meaning “brushwood dog.””
1930s–1940s
English
Shiba Inu
“The breed name begins appearing in English-language writing about Japanese dogs.”
Modern English
English
Shiba Inu
“A globally recognized Japanese dog breed and companion animal.”
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