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阿猫阿狗 (ā māo ā gǒu)

I Have a Question
#1

Hi ChinesePod team, my question is this: I always listen in the movie said 阿猫阿狗 (ā māo ā gǒu) to describe someone friends. May I know what is the real meaning for 阿猫阿狗 (ā māo ā gǒu), is it impolite to say to people like this?

#2

It means some random person, any old body, whoever, unimportant people, just an average person or people. It is not polite. It might be used to refer to people you would look down on. It is similar to the colloquial English “Any Tom, Dick, or Harry.”

#3

Hi Eddie,

@podster is right. Let me give you some sentences.

妈妈：不要跟那些阿猫阿狗的人交朋友。
儿子：他们才不是什么阿猫阿狗。

#4

Hi Betty, thanks for reply. So is it also can say that 阿狗阿猫=猪朋狗友 and can be interchange use?

#5

Hi Eddie,

Logically, yes, they are interchangeable; however, to me, 猪朋狗友 is much worse than 阿狗阿猫. So unless the people you want to describe are really really bad, don’t use 猪朋狗友.

Betty

#6

Sorry to be pedantic, but isn’t it "阿猫阿狗“ not "阿狗阿猫” ？

#7

Hi Podster,

Both ways of saying are correct. It would not change the meaning and would still be understandable.