Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 蟾蜍 | chánchú |
| 疥蛤蟆 | jièháma |
| 癩蛤蟆 / 癞蛤蟆 | làiháma |
| 戚施 | qīshī |
The terms in Chinese can refer to the amphibian known as a toad. While some words are specific to toads, others are used colloquially to refer to both frogs and toads.
Which one should you use?
While 蟾蜍 specifically refers to a toad, the more common word 蛤蟆 is often used interchangeably for both frogs and toads in casual speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
蟾蜍 is the formal or scientific way to refer to a toad. In contrast, 蛤蟆 is a common, colloquial way to refer to toads or frogs in spoken Chinese. The term 疥蛤蟆 and the variations 癩蛤蟆 or 癞蛤蟆 are also present. The phrase 癞蛤蟆 is often used metaphorically to describe someone who is considered very ugly or someone who is socially beneath another person, such as in the idiom describing a toad wanting to eat swan meat.
How do you pronounce it?
chánchú
When do people say it?
The phrase 癞蛤蟆 is used metaphorically to describe someone who is considered very ugly or someone who is socially beneath another person.
Did you know?
- In Chinese mythology, the 'three-legged toad' 三脚蛤蟆 is a symbol of wealth and prosperity, often depicted as a gold toad with a coin in its mouth.
- The moon in Chinese folklore is believed to be inhabited by a toad 蟾蜍 and a jade rabbit, who both serve the moon goddess Chang'e.
- The character 癞 (lài) in 癞蛤蟆 actually refers to a type of skin disease or scaly skin, which is why the term is so heavily linked to physical ugliness.
Examples in context
- 我无法区分青蛙和蟾蜍。I can't distinguish a frog from a toad.This sentence is useful for practicing the distinction between a frog and the form 蟾蜍.Tatoeba #490102 by fucongcong, translation #63783 by CK
- 在这片池塘中，你会经常看到蟾蜍。In this pond, you can often see toads.
- 在那个池塘里有好多蛤蟆呢！There are so many toads in that pond!
- 那只蟾蜍正在树荫下休息。Nà zhǐ chánchú zhèngzài shùyīn xià xiūxi.That toad is resting under the shade of the tree.
- 我们在池塘边发现了一只蟾蜍。Wǒmen zài chítáng biān fāxiànle yī zhǐ chánchú.We found a toad by the pond.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are walking through a forest at night.
- 雨婷 Yuting志强，快看那块石头下面！Zhìqiáng, kuài kàn nà kuài shítou xiàmiàn!Zhiqiang, look quickly under that rock!
- 志强 Zhiqiang是一只蟾蜍吗？Shì yī zhǐ chánchú ma?Is it a toad?
- 雨婷 Yuting是的，它看起来很胖。Shì de, tā kàn qǐlái hěn pàng.Yes, it looks very fat.
- 志强 Zhiqiang雨婷，别离它太近。Yǔtíng, bié lí tā tài jìn.Yuting, don't get too close to it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “toad” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
