驢 / 驴
lǘ
The English phrase "donkey" is translated into Chinese as 驢 / 驴 (lǘ). If unsure, use 驢 / 驴. Wiktionary also lists 驢子 / 驴子 (lǘzi).
Meaning: a domestic animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 驢 / 驴 | lǘ |
| 驢子 / 驴子 | lǘzi |
The word refers to a domestic animal.
Which one should you use?
While 驢 / 驴 is the root noun, adding the suffix 子 (zi) as in 驢子 / 驴子 makes the word a standard noun for the animal in natural conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 驢子 / 驴子 is the more common way to refer to the animal in spoken Chinese than the single-syllable 驢 / 驴.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is lǘ.
Did you know?
- The word 驢 / 驴 may have linguistic roots in ancient Iranian languages, such as the Avestan word 𐬑𐬀𐬭𐬀.
- In Chinese culture, the donkey is often associated with stubbornness, but it also appears in the phrase 驢腦 ('donkey brain') to describe someone who is clumsy or slow.
- The character for donkey, 驢 / 驴, contains the radical for 'horse', 馬, which helps identify its category.
Examples in context
- 我看到了一匹小驴I saw a small donkey
- 你真是个笨驴You're such a silly donkey
- 昨天我们去动物园，看见了一只驴。Yesterday, we went to the zoo and saw a donkey.
- 孩子们都很喜欢看《疯狂的驴》这部电影。The children really enjoy watching the movie 'Crazy Donkey'.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “donkey” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 驢, CC BY-SA 4.0.
