动物 dòngwù animal
How to remember 动物: 动 move + 物 thing = animal.
Characters
How it is used
- Animal(s) - 动物园 (dòngwùyuán) zoo, 野生动物 (yěshēng dòngwù) wild animals.
- Literally "moving things" (动 move + 物 thing), paired against 植物 (zhíwù, plants) as the standard living-thing split.
- A generic category noun; for a pet you'd say 宠物 (chǒngwù).
Example sentences
- 动物都有保护子女的天性。 Dòngwù dōu yǒu bǎohù zǐnǚ de tiānxìng.It's in animals' nature to protect their young.
- 熊猫是珍贵的动物。 Xióngmāo shì zhēnguì de dòngwù.Pandas are precious animals.