pusi
/pu.si/
The Tongan word for cat is pusi.
pusi refers to the domestic species of cat.
Meaning: domestic species (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /pu.si/ and it has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The Tongan word pusi is a loanword derived from the English word 'pussy', which was used to refer to cats when English sailors and traders visited the islands.
- Because pusi sounds so much like the English 'pussy', Tongan speakers do not experience the same slang connotations that English speakers might.
- Because domestic cats are not native to Tonga, the word pusi represents a relatively modern addition to the lexicon compared to words for fish or birds.
Examples in context
- Ko e pusi ʻeni.This is a cat.
- ʻOku ʻi ai ha pusi ʻi he fale.There is a cat in the house.
Example conversation
Sina and Sione are looking at a pet.
- SinaʻOku ʻofa koe ki he pusi?Do you love the cat?
- SioneʻIo, ʻoku ʻofa au ki ai.Yes, I love it.
- SinaKoe pusi ʻeni ʻoku mālie.This cat is peaceful.
- SioneʻOku koe toʻa moʻoni.It is really cute.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cat” translations and entries pusi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
