美洲狮
měizhōushī
The English word "cougar" is translated into Mandarin as 美洲狮 (měizhōushī).
美洲狮 refers specifically to the animal *Puma concolor*.
Meaning: Puma concolor (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is měizhōushī.
Did you know?
- If you were to call a woman a 美洲狮 (měizhōushī) in China, people would be very confused. The English slang meaning of 'cougar' for an attractive older woman does not exist in the Mandarin name for the cat.
- The character 狮 in 美洲狮 is shared with the 'Guardian Lions' found at temple entrances, which are actually stylized dogs or mythical creatures rather than real lions.
- In Chinese, the word for 'America' and the word for 'beautiful' are the same. This is why the name 美洲 (Měizhōu) literally means 'beautiful continent'.
Examples in context
- 美洲狮的毛色很漂亮。Měizhōushī de maosè hěn piàoliang.The cougar's fur color is very beautiful.
- 动物园里有一只美洲狮。Dòngwùyuán lǐ yǒu yì zhǐ měizhōushī.There is a cougar in the zoo.
- 美洲狮是一种大型猫科动物。Měizhōushī shì yì zhǒng dà xíng māokē dòngwù.The cougar is a large feline.
Example conversation
Two friends are watching a nature documentary on TV.
- 伟 Wei你看，那是美洲狮吗？Nǐ kàn, nà shì měizhōushī ma?Look, is that a cougar?
- 雨婷 Yuting是的，它看起来很强壮。Shì de, tā kàn qǐlái hěn qiángzhuàng.Yes, it looks very strong.
- 伟 Wei雨婷，它跑得很快。Yǔtíng, tā pǎo de hěn kuài.Yuting, it runs very fast.
- 雨婷 Yuting它是捕猎高手。Tā shì bǔliè gāoshǒu.It is a skilled hunter.
