狗
dog
gǒu
What does 狗 mean?
狗 (gǒu) is the Chinese word for dog — the animal. It is the single-character word; you almost never say 狗子 in standard speech (that's regional/colloquial). The standard measure word is 只 (yī zhī gǒu — one dog), though 条 is also common, especially for bigger dogs (一条大狗).
Two cultural notes English speakers should know: first, 狗 appears in many Chinese insults (狗东西, 走狗) where 'dog' carries a much more negative connotation than in English, so be careful using it figuratively. Second, the cute / pet word is 小狗 (xiǎo gǒu, 'puppy' or 'little dog') or 狗狗 (gǒugou — reduplicated, like saying 'doggie'). The zodiac sign 'dog' is also 狗.
Character breakdown
dog (the 犭 radical on the left is the 'animal / dog' radical, found in many animal names)
Memory hook: The left side 犭 is the four-legged-animal radical — you'll see it in 猫 (cat), 猪 (pig), 狼 (wolf) too.
Measure word for 狗
Example sentences
我有一只狗。
Wǒ yǒu yì zhī gǒu.
I have a dog.
spoken
这只小狗很可爱。
Zhè zhī xiǎo gǒu hěn kě'ài.
This puppy is very cute.
spoken
我喜欢狗，不喜欢猫。
Wǒ xǐhuan gǒu, bù xǐhuan māo.
I like dogs, not cats.
spoken
他家有两只狗。
Tā jiā yǒu liǎng zhī gǒu.
His family has two dogs.
neutral
Common phrases with 狗
Synonyms
犬 is the literary / written word for dog, used in compounds like 警犬 (police dog), 导盲犬 (guide dog). In everyday speech, always use 狗.
Don't confuse 狗 with
FAQ
Acquire by listening
Hear 狗 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this word shows up again and again in real sentences. Pinyin, translation, and the episode where you heard it — every time. Free to start, no card.