猫

• Pinyin: māo
• Hanzi breakdown: 猫 = 犭 (animal radical) + 苗 (phonetic component, seedling)

Meaning

Cat. A domestic cat kept as a pet or found as a stray.

The standard word for cat. Used in everyday conversation and many idioms. Internet culture has made 猫 even more common with terms like 猫咪 (kitty, affectionate), 吸猫 (cat lover behaviour), and 猫片 (cat photos/videos).

Examples

1. 我家养了一只小猫。 We have a little cat at home.
2. 那只猫在沙发上睡觉呢。 That cat is sleeping on the sofa.
3. 她特别喜欢猫，养了三只。 She really likes cats — she has three.

Usage Guide

Context: pets, animals, everyday

Tone: affectionate

Do Say

• 你喜欢猫还是狗？(Do you prefer cats or dogs?)
• 这只猫真可爱！(This cat is really cute!)

Don't Say

• 不要说'大猫'来指老虎 (Don't casually say 大猫 to mean tiger in formal contexts — 大猫 is informal internet slang; use 老虎 for tiger)

Origin & History

Phonosemantic character: 犭 (animal radical) + 苗 (phonetic component, also meaning seedling/sprout). The animal radical indicates it is a living creature.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal