How to Say Cat in Chinese
猫
māo
猫 (māo) is the Mandarin word for cat.
Pronunciation and tones
Māo has a high, level first tone. Keep the pitch steady across the whole syllable.
Two everyday examples
我有一只猫。
Wǒ yǒu yì zhī māo.
I have a cat.
这只猫很可爱。
Zhè zhī māo hěn kě’ài.
This cat is very cute.
Usage and common mistakes
Count cats with 只
Use 一只猫 (yì zhī māo) for one cat. 只 (zhī) is the usual measure word for cats.
A cat is not a hat
Keep the first tone in 猫 (māo). 帽 (mào), with a falling tone, is a different character used in 帽子 (màozi), hat.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say cat in Chinese?
Cat is 猫 (māo) in Mandarin, pronounced with the first tone.
How do you say kitten?
小猫 (xiǎo māo) means kitten or little cat.
Does 猫 change for more than one cat?
No. The noun stays 猫. For example, 两只猫 (liǎng zhī māo) means two cats.