February 22nd (2月22日) is Cat Day (猫の日) in Japan!
Unfortunately… it’s not a public holiday. (We wish it were!)
But why February 22nd?
Cats meow にゃん (nyan) in Japanese.
The number 2 is pronounced に (ni).
So 2/22,
に に に (ni ni ni) sounds like
にゃん にゃん にゃん (nyan nyan nyan)!
Hence, the Cat Day.
Cat-Related Japanese Expressions
To celebrate Cat Day, let’s learn fun expressions that use the word 猫 (ねこ neko)!
猫舌（ねこじた nekojita）
“Cat tongue”
Someone who can’t eat hot food. (Cats don’t like hot food either!)
猫に小判（ねこにこばん neko ni koban）
“Gold coins to a cat”
Giving something valuable to someone who doesn’t appreciate it. 小判 (こばん koban) was an old Japanese gold coin. Since cats don’t understand money, giving them gold is pointless!
猫の額（ねこのひたい neko no hitai）
“A cat’s forehead”
It means a very small space, because cats have tiny foreheads!
Example: うちの庭は猫の額ほどです。“My garden is as small as a cat’s forehead.”
借りてきた猫（かりてきたねこ karite kita neko）
“A borrowed cat”
Describes someone who is unusually quiet and well-behaved.
猫をかぶる（ねこをかぶる neko o kaburu）
“To wear a cat”
It means pretending to be innocent, quiet, or sweet, hiding your true personality.
We hope you enjoyed the mini lesson and wish you a nyanderful Cat Day! 🐾
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