shih tzu

noun

ˈshēd-ˈzü How to pronounce shih tzu (audio)
ˈshēt-ˈsü
plural shih tzu also shih tzus
often capitalized S&T
: any of an old Chinese breed of toy dogs that have a square short unwrinkled muzzle, short muscular legs, and a long dense flowing coat

Examples of shih tzu in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Indeed, his 11-year-old shih tzu, named D, is the chief treat tester, and frequents Chewy’s office with him. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 18 Apr. 2024 Upgrades to her home’s insulation and vents finally enabled her and her 13-year-old shih tzu, SugarBabe, to relax at a comfortable indoor temperature without skimping on her medication. The Arizona Republic, 31 July 2023 Coco and Luna's 10 in 1 Multivitamin for Dogs is an excellent choice for shih tzu owners. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 13 July 2023 With regular use, your shih tzu can experience less pain, greater mobility, and an overall better quality of life. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 13 July 2023 On their third date, Matt met Rei’s beloved shih tzu, Rara, and their fate was sealed. Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2023 The pit bull bit the woman’s hand and the shih tzu’s hind quarters. Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 27 Mar. 2021 There has never been—knock on all wood—a bite, not even when that territorial shih tzu on Fawn Street broke away from its owner and chased us off the block with a shrill, honestly quite aggressive, warning. Hazlitt, 20 Dec. 2022 Max Goes to the Dogs, in which the shih tzu/cocker spaniel/poodle mix heads to doggy day care and learns the joys of learning and playing with new friends. Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 7 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shih tzu.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Chinese (Beijing) shīzi (gǒu), from shīzi lion + gǒu dog

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shih tzu was in 1921

Dictionary Entries Near shih tzu

Cite this Entry

“Shih tzu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shih%20tzu. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.

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