毛 máo — hair; pore; fur
这只小猫的毛又软又白。Zhè zhī xiǎo māo de máo yòu ruǎn yòu bái.This kitten fur is soft and white.
Common words: 毛病 (máo bìng)、羽毛球 (yǔ máo qiú)、毛衣 (máo yī)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "fur"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "fur", including 毛 (máo), 皮 (pí). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words, and examples.
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "fur" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 毛 (máo), 皮 (pí) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span máo, pí — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 毛 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 毛 máohair; pore; furUseful words: 毛病, 羽毛球
- 皮 píleather; skin; furUseful words: 皮包, 皮肤
Common words for these 2 "fur" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 毛 (máo) — so "fur" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "fur".
皮 pí — leather; skin; fur
香蕉的皮是黄色的。Xiāng jiāo de pí shì huáng sè de.The peel of a banana is yellow.
Common words: 皮包 (pí bāo)、皮肤 (pí fū)、皮鞋 (pí xié)
All 2 characters
Open 毛、皮 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.