猫

貓
māo
HSK 1
#1,671 most
frequent character
cat
noun
Measure words:只 zhī

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

猫 uses 犭 animal as the meaning part and 苗 miáo for the sound. It first meant house cat, and later also named an owl. In the simplified form, 犭 replaces 豸, a similar animal shape.

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Example Sentences

我有一只猫。
wǒyǒu yīzhī māo 。
I have a cat.
这只猫很可爱。
zhè zhī māo hěn kěài 。
This cat is very cute.
猫喜欢睡觉。
māo xǐhuān shuìjiào 。
Cats like to sleep.

Same Characters, Different Readings

猫máo
used in 貓腰|猫腰[mao2yao1]

Words with similar meanings

小猫xiǎomāo
kitten
Specifically refers to a young cat.
宠物chǒngwù
pet
A broader term that can refer to any domesticated animal, including cats.

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Public Lists with 猫

HSK 1
All words for the HSK 1 test
Animals
Domestic and wild animal names, as well as insects, birds, and marine life.