(māo) — cat

Definition

noun
cat
Measure word ·

Examples

  • Wǒ yǒu yì zhī māo.
    I have a cat.
  • Zhè zhī māo hěn kě ài.
    This cat is very cute.
  • Wǒ xǐ huan māo.
    I like cats.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
miáomāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

猫 puts 犬 beside 苗; 犬 marks the animal sense, and 苗 gives the sound.

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