柴犬
cháiquǎn
The English phrase "shiba inu" is 柴犬 (cháiquǎn) in Chinese.
Meaning: dog (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of 柴 (chái) meaning 'firewood' and 犬 (quǎn) meaning 'dog'.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is cháiquǎn.
Did you know?
- The phrase 柴犬 is an orthographic borrowing, meaning Chinese adopted the Japanese characters as they were written. Because both languages use Han characters, the Chinese meaning of 'firewood dog' is understood without needing a translation of the sounds.
- In Chinese internet culture, the 柴犬 is often associated with the 'Doge' meme. Users frequently use the term to describe a 'stubborn' or 'judgmental' expression regardless of the animal's actual breed.
- The character 柴 (chái) refers to 'firewood', which refers to the dog's historical role in hunting through thick brush and brushwood.
Examples in context
- 那只柴犬很可爱。Nà zhī cháiquǎn hěn kě'ài.That Shiba Inu is very cute.
- 我想要养一只柴犬。Wǒ xiǎng yào yǎng yī zhī cháiquǎn.I want to raise a Shiba Inu.
- 这只柴犬很聪明。Zhè zhī cháiquǎn hěn cōngmíng.This Shiba Inu is very smart.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about pets at a park.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen志强，你看那只柴犬！Zhìqiáng, nǐ kàn nà zhī cháiquǎn!Zhiqiang, look at that Shiba Inu!
- 志强 Zhiqiang它的颜色真漂亮。Tā de yánsè zhēn piàoliang.Its color is really beautiful.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我也想养一只柴犬。Wǒ yě xiǎng yǎng yī zhī cháiquǎn.I want to raise a Shiba Inu too.
- 志强 Zhiqiang它们需要很多耐心。Tāmen xūyào hěnduō nàixīn.They require a lot of patience.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shiba inu” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 柴犬, CC BY-SA 4.0.
