Japanese spaniel
- noun
- /ˈdʒæpəˌniːz ˈspæn.jəl/
:
spaniel japonés
- The Japanese spaniel is known for its affectionate nature and elegant appearance.
Examples
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She adopted a rescue Japanese spaniel from the local animal shelter.
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My Japanese spaniel loves to play fetch.
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Many royal courts prized the Japanese spaniel as a companion dog.
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Have you ever seen a Japanese spaniel?
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Many royal courts prized the Japanese spaniel as a companion dog.
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The Japanese spaniel is known for its affectionate nature and elegant appearance.
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She adopted a rescue Japanese spaniel from the local animal shelter.
Synonyms
18
3.0
A dog with long silky ears and a soft coat
1
3.2
A very small dog that people breed and keep as a pet in homes
1
3.8
A very small dog kept as a pet that often sits on a person's lap
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a spaniel from Japan' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'Japanese' (of or from Japan) with 'spaniel' (a breed of dog), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the phrase's meaning. The adjective+noun composition denoting origin or type is cross-linguistically common, supporting high compositional transparency.
Etymology
Japanese spaniel may come from early European visitors who saw a small, elegant dog in Japan and compared it to the little spaniel dogs they already knew. That's why the name came to mean 'a small pet dog from Japan'.