宠物
chǒngwù
The English phrase 'pets' is translated into Chinese as 宠物 (chǒngwù).
宠物 refers to animals that are kept by humans for companionship and pleasure.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of two characters: 宠 (chǒng), which means to spoil or dote on and 物 (wù), which means thing or creature.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 宠物 is used for both the singular 'pet' and the plural 'pets' without changing its form.
How do you pronounce it?
chǒngwù
Did you know?
- In modern Chinese internet slang, cat owners often refer to themselves as 铲屎官 ('poop-scooping officer') instead of 'owner'. This emphasizes a servant-like relationship with their 宠物.
- Chinese speakers often refer to their pets as 孩子 ('children') or 主子 ('master') to jokingly indicate that the animal is the one actually in charge of the household.
- While English speakers often use 'pet' as a term of endearment for a person, using the Chinese equivalent 宠物 for a human would be seen as highly unusual or even objectifying.
Examples in context
- 你养宠物吗？Do you have any pets?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has any 宠物.Tatoeba #1050428 by tatomeimei, translation #25220 by CK
- 她养各种不同的宠物。She kept various kinds of pets.This sentence is useful for describing someone who keeps various kinds of 宠物.Tatoeba #333709 by fucongcong, translation #310511 by CK
- 他养了几只 小动物 。He has several pets.
- 他对宠物们真的很好，特别是他的 宠儿 。He is really good with pets, especially his darlings.
- 我非常喜欢宠物。Wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān chǒngwù.I really like pets.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about animals at a cafe.
- 雨婷 Yuting你家里有宠物吗？Nǐ jiālǐ yǒu chǒngwù ma?Do you have any pets at home?
- 伟 Wei我有一只小狗。Wǒ yǒu yì zhī xiǎogǒu.I have a little dog.
- 雨婷 Yuting那太好了！Nà tài hǎo le!That's great!
- 伟 Wei它很可爱。Tā hěn kě'ài.It is very cute.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
