lei4 maau1狸貓狸猫
Jyutpinglei4 maau1
Yalelèih māau
Definition
Leopard cat or common raccoon dog.
- leopard cat
- common raccoon dog
colloquialanimals
How it's used
Refers primarily to the raccoon dog, known as 貉 in formal contexts, rather than the domestic cat. It carries a slightly mythical or folklore-heavy connotation due to its frequent appearance in Japanese legends and pop culture. Locals rarely use this term to describe actual pets, as it is reserved for wild animals.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
Do you know where one can see raccoon dogs?
Related words
Common phrases
a classic idiom about a switch of infants
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 貓, which is the general term for a cat. Using 狸貓 to describe a house cat will cause confusion as it specifically implies a wild, dog-like creature.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
