pusi
The Fijian word for cat is pusi.
pusi refers to the domestic species of cat.
Meaning: domestic species (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word pusi is a loanword from the English word 'pussy' used to refer to a cat.
Did you know?
- Unlike English, where 'pussy' has evolved into a slang term or an anatomical reference, pusi in Fijian remains a polite and neutral word for a cat.
- Fijian has no single native word for 'cat' because the animal did not exist in the islands until it was introduced by foreign sailors and settlers.
- The word pusi is an example of how Fijian adapts English sounds to fit a strict consonant-vowel pattern, meaning no two consonants can ever stand side by side.
Examples in context
- E dua na pusi.It is a cat.
Example conversation
Jone and Teresia are looking at a small kitten in the garden.
- JoneO i koya na pusi?Is that a cat?
- TeresiaIo, sa rerea sara na pusi oya.Yes, that cat is very scary.
- JoneE rerea na pusi oya?Is that cat scary?
- TeresiaIo, e rerea sara.Yes, it is very scary.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cat” translations and entries pusi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
