chow-chow

IPA/ˈtʃaʊˌtʃaʊ/
IPA/ˈtʃaʊˌtʃaʊ/

chow-chow — noun

1. a thickly furred medium-sized dog from China, easy to recognise by its dark blue

1.nounC1
Definition

a thickly furred medium-sized dog from China, easy to recognise by its dark blue-black tongue, lion-like ruff of fur around the head, and curled tail carried over the back.

Example

Tariq adopted a fluffy chow-chow from the shelter last spring.

verb + chow-chow as direct object

The chow-chow at the dog show stood out with its thick reddish coat and dark blue tongue.

definite article + breed name; descriptive context

Common collocations
  • a fluffy chow-chow
  • the chow-chow's coat
  • chow-chow puppy
  • raise / own / adopt a chow-chow
Synonyms
  • chow

    shortened informal name for the same breed

Grammar Patterns

a/the chow-chow

chow-chows (plural)

Usage Note

Often used with the indefinite article when introducing the breed and with the plural when making general statements about temperament or grooming. Frequently spelled with a hyphen in dictionaries but commonly written 'chow chow' or simply 'chow' in casual contexts.

Common Mistakes

I saw a chowchow at the park.
I saw a chow-chow at the park.
the standard dictionary spelling keeps the hyphen between the two halves.
The chow-chow has a blue-black mouth because it is sick.
The chow-chow has a blue-black mouth, which is a natural feature of the breed.
the dark tongue and mouth are normal, not a sign of illness.

2. a tangy cold side dish made from chopped vegetables such as cabbage, peppers, an

2.nounC2
Definition

a tangy cold side dish made from chopped vegetables such as cabbage, peppers, and onions, preserved in vinegar, sugar, and mustard-based spices, and usually served alongside cold meats, sausages, or cheese.

Example

Andrés spread a spoonful of chow-chow over his grilled sausage at the family picnic.

spread / serve + chow-chow + over/with [food]

Talia's grandmother makes jars of homemade chow-chow every autumn with cabbage from the garden.

jars / a jar of chow-chow (mass noun)

Common collocations
  • a jar of chow-chow
  • homemade chow-chow
  • sweet / spicy chow-chow
  • serve chow-chow with [cold meat / sausage / cheese]
Synonyms
  • relish

    broader American term for a chopped, pickled condiment

  • piccalilli

    British counterpart with similar mustard-spiced pickled vegetables

Grammar Patterns

a jar of chow-chow

serve chow-chow with [food]

Usage Note

Treated as a mass noun like 'relish' or 'jam' — you eat 'some chow-chow' or 'a spoonful of chow-chow', not 'a chow-chow' (which would mean the dog). Most common in American Southern and Pennsylvania-Dutch cooking; learners outside North America rarely encounter the word in this sense.

Common Mistakes

She ate a chow-chow with her ham.
She ate some chow-chow with her ham.
chow-chow as a relish is uncountable; 'a chow-chow' means the dog breed.
The chow-chow tasted very sweet, with thick fur.
The chow-chow had thick fur.' OR 'The chow-chow relish tasted very sweet.
keep the two senses (dog vs relish) separate in one sentence.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Chow-chow, Shiba Inu, Akita, and Pomeranian are all thick-coated breeds that learners may mix up. The chow-chow is the only one with a distinctive blue-black tongue and a deep lion-like ruff around its head; it originates from northern China. The Shiba Inu is a smaller Japanese hunting breed with a fox-like face and a curled tail, while the Akita is a much larger Japanese guard dog. A Pomeranian is far smaller and lighter, bred from spitz dogs in central Europe as a companion pet. In daily conversation, 'I want a chow-chow' usually pictures a calm, fluffy dog the size of a medium Labrador, not a tiny lapdog like a Pomeranian.

chow-chow ↗Shiba InuAkitaPomeranian

Common collocations

Nouns

  • chow-chow puppy
  • chow-chow coat
  • chow-chow recipe

Phrases

  • a fluffy chow-chow
  • homemade chow-chow

Prepositions

  • chow-chow with [food]
  • a jar of chow-chow

Etymology

Chinese Pidgin EnglishEnglish

Both senses entered English in the 1700s and 1800s through trade with China. The food sense came first, recorded in pidgin English used by sailors and traders in Chinese ports, where 'chow-chow' meant a mixed assortment, especially of food. The dog-breed sense appeared later in the 1800s, when British traders brought the breed back from northern China and used the same playful reduplicated name. The two senses share the same Chinese-pidgin origin but developed in different directions.