猫咪
māo mī
The Chinese word for kitty is 猫咪 (māo mī).
猫咪 is used primarily when speaking to or about a cat in an affectionate, endearing or 'cute' manner, similar to how an English speaker uses 'kitty' or 'kitty cat'.
Meaning: pet name for a cat of any age (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word consists of 猫 (māo), meaning cat and a diminutive suffix 咪 (mī) used to create a cute or affectionate sound.
Which one should you use?
While 猫 (māo) is the standard, neutral noun for 'cat', 猫咪 adds a layer of endearment and is more common when interacting with pets or expressing affection.
How do you pronounce it?
māo mī
Did you know?
- In some regions of China, people actually use the word 喵星人 (miāo xīng rén), which translates to 'Meow Star Person', to refer to cats as if they are cute aliens from another planet.
- In Chinese internet slang, people sometimes refer to cats as 主子 (zhǔ zi), which means 'master', because the cats rule the household.
- While 猫咪 is for pets, the word 猫 is also used in the term 猫腻 (māo nì), which describes something fishy or a hidden secret.
Examples in context
- 这只猫咪很可爱。Zhè zhī māomī hěn kě'ài.This kitty is very cute.
- 他在喂小猫咪。Tā zài wèi xiǎo māomī.He is feeding the kitty.
- 你的猫咪叫什么名字？Nǐ de māomī jiào shénme míngzì?What is your kitty's name?
Example conversation
A young man is holding a small kitten in a park.
- 雨婷 Yuting这只猫咪真漂亮！Zhè zhī māomī zhēn piàoliang!This kitty is so beautiful!
- 俊杰 Junjie谢谢，它是我的新宠物。Xièxiè, tā shì wǒ de xīn chǒngwù.Thank you, it is my new pet.
- 雨婷 Yuting它看起来很乖。Tā kàn qǐlái hěn guāi.It looks very well-behaved.
- 俊杰 Junjie是的，它非常听话。Shì de, tā fēicháng tīnghuà.Yes, it is very obedient.
