幼獸 / 幼兽
yòushòu
The English word "cub" can be translated into Chinese as 幼獸 / 幼兽 (yòushòu) or 崽.
Meaning: the young of certain animals (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 幼獸 / 幼兽 | yòushòu |
| 崽 | zǎi |
Both terms refer to the young of certain animals. While 幼獸 / 幼兽 is a biological descriptor, 崽 is used more casually to refer to animal offspring. In certain dialects or informal speech, 崽 can also function as a slang term for a person, similar to the English words "brat" or "kid".
What does it mean word for word?
The term 幼獸 is composed of 幼, meaning "young" and 獸, meaning "animal" or "beast".
Which one should you use?
幼獸 / 幼兽 is used as a formal, biological term for a young animal. In contrast, 崽 is a more colloquial term for an offspring.
How do you pronounce it?
yòushòu
Did you know?
- In many Chinese internet slang contexts, adding 崽 to a celebrity's name is a way for fans to express intense adoration, treating the idol like a precious pet or a 'baby'.
- The term 幼獸 uses the character 獸, which historically referred to any four-legged beast, excluding insects and fish.
- The character 崽 was originally formed by combining the symbol for 'mountain' 山 with a phonetic component 思.
Examples in context
- 看那只小狐狸宝宝，多可爱啊！Look at that little fox cub, how cute!
- 我们去动物园看幼崽吧！Let's go to the zoo to see the animal cubs!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cub” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 崽, CC BY-SA 4.0.
