小白鼠
xiǎobáishǔ
The English phrase "guinea pig" can be translated into Mandarin as 小白鼠 (xiǎobáishǔ) or 實驗品 / 实验品.
Meaning: experimental subject (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 小白鼠 | xiǎobáishǔ |
| 實驗品 / 实验品 | shíyànpǐn |
In Mandarin, the term can refer to an experimental subject. The term 小白鼠 is commonly used metaphorically in casual conversation to describe a person who is being used to test a new idea, product or method.
How do you pronounce it?
xiǎobáishǔ
Did you know?
- While the English term refers to a specific rodent, the Mandarin 小白鼠 literally translates to 'little white mouse'.
- In Chinese culture, the 'white mouse' is the archetypal laboratory animal, making 小白鼠 the natural metaphor for a human test subject.
- Using 小白鼠 can be a playful way to complain about being the first person to eat a dish a friend has tried to cook for the first time.
Examples in context
- 他有一只豚鼠，非常可爱。He has a guinea pig, it's extremely adorable.
- 我家养了两只天竺鼠，它们总是很活泼。I have two guinea pigs at home, they are always very lively.
- 我不想成为医学实验的小白鼠。Wǒ bù xiǎng chéngwéi yīxué shíyàn de xiǎobáishǔ.I don't want to be a guinea pig for medical experiments.
- 这个新产品会让消费者当小白鼠。Zhège xīn chǎnpǐn huì ràng xiāofèizhě dāng xiǎobáishǔ.This new product will make consumers guinea pigs.
Example conversation
Jiayi asks Zhiqiang to try a new recipe she cooked.
- 佳怡 Jiayi志强，你帮我尝尝这个新菜吧。Zhìqiáng, nǐ bāng wǒ chángchang zhège xīn cài ba.Zhiqiang, please help me taste this new dish.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你是不是想拿我当小白鼠？Nǐ shì bú shì xiǎng ná wǒ dāng xiǎobáishǔ?Are you trying to use me as a guinea pig?
- 佳怡 Jiayi没有，味道真的不错。Méiyǒu, wèidào zhēnde búcuò.No, the taste is actually quite good.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好吧，那我尝试一口。Hǎo ba, nà wǒ chángshì yì kǒu.Alright, I'll try one bite.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “guinea pig” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
