狗
gǒu/koʊ̯²¹⁴/
The English word "dog" is translated into Chinese as 狗 (gǒu). Wiktionary also lists 犬 (quǎn).
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 狗 | gǒu | /koʊ̯²¹⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /kəu⁵³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 犬 | quǎn | /t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn²¹⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡ɕʰyan⁵³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
literary |
| 狗 | káu | /kau⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines, Singapore, Sinological IPA, Taipei, General Taiwanese, Yongchun, Yongchun) /kau⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines, Singapore, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese, Yongchun) |
Hokkien |
You can use the term 小狗 to refer to a puppy, which is formed by adding 小 (meaning small) before 狗. For an affectionate way to refer to a dog, you can use 狗狗.
Which one should you use?
While 狗 is the common colloquial term, 犬 is used in formal or literary contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 狗狗儿 is used in the northern regions of China, primarily in the Beijing dialect.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting dogs, it is common to use the classifier 条.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation for 狗 is gǒu.
Did you know?
- Some linguists believe the word 狗 may have been borrowed from an ancient language ancestral to the modern Hmong-Mien languages.
- In ancient Qin Dynasty manuscripts, the term 虎狗 was used to distinguish a dog from a tiger, with the dog receiving a lower reward.
Examples in context
- 小心那野狗！Look out for the wild dog!This sentence is useful for practicing the word 狗 in a warning context.Tatoeba #1785877 by sadhen, translation #18962 by Zifre
- 你的狗在這。Your dog is here.This sentence is useful for practicing the word 狗 in a possessive context.Tatoeba #3738987 by egg0073, translation #449111 by CK
- 那是一条狗。That is a dog.This sentence is useful for practicing the word 狗 when identifying an animal.Tatoeba #4540555 by McMeao, translation #4538713 by mailohilohi
- 我养了一只狗。I have a pet dog.
- 我家养了一只可爱的狗狗。I have a cute dog at home.
- 这只狗宝宝真可爱！This puppy is so adorable!
- 小狗狗儿乖乖地坐在人家门口。The little dog obediently sits at the entrance of someone's house.
- 294 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Haoran and Yuting are walking in a park and see a puppy.
- 浩然 Haoran你看，那隻狗好可愛！Nǐ kàn, nà zhī gǒu hǎo kě'ài!Look, that dog is so cute!
- 雨婷 Yuting它是什麼品種的狗？Tā shì shénme pǐnzhǒng de gǒu?What breed of dog is it?
- 浩然 Haoran我想它是金毛狗。Wǒ xiǎng tā shì jīnmáo gǒu.I think it is a Golden Retriever.
- 雨婷 Yuting我好想養一隻狗。Wǒ hǎo xiǎng yǎng yì zhī gǒu.I really want to raise a dog.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dog” translations and entries 狗, 犬, 狗, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 犬, 狗, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
