猪

• Pinyin: zhū
• Hanzi breakdown: 猪 = 犭(animal radical) + 者 (phonetic component)

Meaning

Pig; swine. The common farm animal, and one of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals.

Refers to the domestic pig in both agricultural and culinary contexts. Pork (猪肉) is the most consumed meat in China. Also one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac (猪年, Year of the Pig). In slang, calling someone 猪 can imply laziness or messiness, though it can also be used affectionately between close friends or partners.

Examples

1. 这个农场养了很多猪。 This farm raises many pigs.
2. 今天晚上我们吃猪肉炒白菜。 Tonight we're having stir-fried pork with Chinese cabbage.
3. 他属猪，今年是他的本命年。 He was born in the Year of the Pig — this year is his zodiac year.

Usage Guide

Context: food, animals, zodiac

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 猪肉是中国最常见的肉类。(Pork is the most common type of meat in China.)
• 她是属猪的。(She was born in the Year of the Pig.)

Don't Say

• 对不太熟悉的人说'你像一头猪'。(Don't call acquaintances or strangers 猪 — it can be very rude, implying they are lazy or fat; only use playfully with very close friends)

Origin & History

A pictophonetic character. 犭(animal radical) + 者 (phonetic component, zhě). Originally depicted a pig, later standardised with the animal radical.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal