黑毛
hēi máo
In Mandarin, black fur is 黑毛 (hēi máo).
The term 黑毛 is used for animals with short hair or fur, such as dogs, cats or rabbits.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 黑 (hēi), meaning black and 毛 (máo), meaning hair or fur.
How does it change in a sentence?
While 黑毛 is a concise noun phrase, adding 的 (de) to make it 黑色的毛 (hēi sè de máo) is a common way to describe the color of the fur more explicitly in a full sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
hēi máo
Did you know?
- The word 毛 (máo) can also mean 'a small amount of money' or 'ten cents' in Chinese currency. In a financial context, 黑毛 would be nonsensical, but the word itself is a common unit of currency.
- In modern internet slang, the word 黑 (hēi) has evolved from its color meaning to become a verb that means to 'slander' or 'to troll' someone online. If you are 'blackening' a celebrity, you are attacking their reputation rather than their appearance.
- The character 毛 (máo) is used in the term 毛病 (máo bìng), which literally translates to 'fur disease' but actually means a 'fault' or 'glitch' in a person's character or a machine.
Examples in context
- 他的大狗有一身黑色的毛皮。His big dog has black fur.
- 我喜欢这只黑猫的黑毛。I like the black fur of this black cat.
- 小狗身上有一团黑毛。Xiǎogǒu shēnshang yǒu yī tuán hēimáo.There is a patch of black fur on the puppy.
Example conversation
浩然 and 佳怡 are looking at a pet shop window.
- 浩然 Haoran你看，那只小黑猫有一身黑毛。Nǐ kàn, nà zhī xiǎo hēimāo yǒu yīshēn hēimáo.Look, that little black cat has black fur all over.
- 佳怡 Jiayi它的黑毛看起来很柔软。Tā de hēimáo kàn qǐlái hěn róuruǎn.Its black fur looks very soft.
- 浩然 Haoran佳怡，你想养一只这样的猫吗？Jiāyí, nǐ xiǎng yǎng yī zhī zhèyàng de māo ma?Jiayi, do you want to raise a cat like this?
- 佳怡 Jiayi我想，它一定会很可爱。Wǒ xiǎng, tā yīdìng huì hěn kě'ài.I think it would be very cute.
