猧 (wō) - A small dog & lapdog

猧Tone 1

wō ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

猧 · wō

A small dog;

lapdog;

poodle;

specifically refers to small pet dogs in ancient China.

A small doglapdogpoodle

Usage highlights

small dogPersian poodlepet doglittle doglapdogdog kennel

Synonyms

  • 狗— dog (general term)
  • 犬— dog (formal/literary)
  • 小狗— small dog

Antonyms

  • 狼— wolf (wild canine)
  • 虎— tiger (large wild animal)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The Tang dynasty noblewoman kept a small lapdog (猧子).
  • In ancient paintings, we often see ladies with small dogs (小猧).
  • The palace had many imported poodles (波斯猧) from Persia.
  • She cherished her pet dog like a family member (爱猧).

Collocations

  • small dog(猧子)
  • Persian poodle(波斯猧)
  • pet dog(爱猧)
  • little dog(小猧)
  • lapdog(膝猧)
  • dog kennel(猧舍)

Idioms

  • The dog barks at the wrong person(猧儿吠尧)
  • Like a dog seeing its master(猧见主喜)
  • The lapdog follows its mistress(猧随女红)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 猧 was particularly popular during the Tang dynasty as a luxury pet among nobility.
  • Persian poodles (波斯猧) were imported through the Silk Road as exotic pets.
  • The character appears frequently in Tang poetry describing aristocratic life.
  • Represents the concept of domesticated companion animals in ancient Chinese society.

FAQ