池塘
chítáng
The English word "pond" is translated into Chinese as 池塘 (chítáng). Wiktionary also lists 池 (chí).
Meaning: small lake (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 池塘 | chítáng |
| 池 | chí |
池塘 is the most common way to refer to a natural or man-made small body of water like a pond.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 池塘 is composed of 池 (pond/pool) and 塘 (embankment/pond).
Which one should you use?
While 池塘 is the standard noun for a pond, the shortened form 池 is often used in names of specific pools or man-made structures.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mandarin, 湖泊 is sometimes used to refer to larger ponds or small lakes. In Cantonese, 鱼塘 is commonly used to refer to fish ponds. In Min Nan, 湖 is used to refer to a pond or lake.
How do you pronounce it?
chítáng
Did you know?
- The term 鱼塘 is used metaphorically in modern Chinese slang to describe a 'pool' of romantic interests someone keeps in reserve.
- In traditional Chinese garden design, a 池塘 is rarely just a water feature but is often designed to mirror the sky and create a sense of infinite space.
- The root of the word 池 may be an ancient Sino-Tibetan term, sharing a distant ancestor with the Mizo word li meaning 'quiet, deep pool'.
Examples in context
- 池塘上有座桥。There is a bridge over the pond.This sentence is useful for describing a bridge over a 池塘.Tatoeba #8800731 by crescat, translation #277299 by CK
- 这个池塘有三米深。The pond is 3 meters deep.This sentence is useful for describing the depth of a 池塘.Tatoeba #8845126 by crescat, translation #45111 by CK
- 当我还是个孩子的时候，我在这个泳池里游过泳。When I was a child, I used to swim in that pond.This sentence is useful for describing swimming in a 池.Tatoeba #4845038 by pig8322, translation #404101 by CK
- 那个公园里有一个漂亮的池塘。There is a beautiful pond in that park.
- 我喜欢在池塘边散步。I enjoy taking walks by the pond.
- 我家后面有个鱼塘。There is a fish pond behind my house.
- 我们经常去塘边放风筝。We often fly kites by the pond.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yuting and Junjie are walking through a park.
- 雨婷 Yuting你看，那个池塘里有很多鱼。Nǐ kàn, nàge chítáng lǐ yǒu hěnduō yú.Look, there are many fish in that pond.
- 俊杰 Junjie这些鱼长得真大！Zhèxiē yú zhǎng de zhēn dà!These fish have grown so big!
- 雨婷 Yuting我想在池塘边坐一会儿。Wǒ xiǎng zài chítáng biān zuò yīhuìr.I want to sit by the pond for a while.
- 俊杰 Junjie好主意，我们走吧。Hǎo zhǔyì, wǒmen zǒu ba.Good idea, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pond” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 池, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
