Cat = 猫 [māo]

A cat sits in the window as a can of paint tips off the ledge onto the kid below, who bursts into tears. Look who is up there: a 猫.

猫 (māo) means “cat.” Say it and it sounds a lot like a cat’s meow. A kitten is 小猫 (xiǎo māo).

Count cats with 只 (zhī), the measure word for most animals: 一只猫 (yì zhī māo), one cat.

我家有两只猫。 — Wǒ jiā yǒu liǎng zhī māo. — We have two cats at home.

猫喜欢睡觉。 — Māo xǐhuan shuìjiào. — Cats love to sleep.