What does “お利口” (orikou) mean in Japanese?

お利口 (or the fuller おりこうさん) is what you say to praise a pet or child for behaving well — the Japanese equivalent of “good boy!” or “good girl!” It comes from 利口, “clever, smart,” but in everyday use it’s less about intelligence and more about obedience: sit when told, stay calm, behave. In this clip, a golden retriever gets a string of お利口 after finally nailing “sit” for a crowd of nervous nieces.

Add さん for a softer, more affectionate version: おりこうさん. You’ll hear it from parents praising toddlers just as often as from dog owners — it’s one of the first words Japanese pet owners teach a dog to respond to, right alongside おすわり (“sit”) and 待て (“wait”).