<p>First time heard of it, but I did find it in a few dictionaries.</p>
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CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-25T05:02:58.710Z
Can you find some copies of the books and stuff they're quoting?
Malady
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-25T06:29:43.503Z
@Malady The dictionaries only give one same quote from Tang Dynasty, 張泌 《妝樓記》. There's a copy of the book from wikimedia: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E5%8F%A2%E6%9B%B8%E9%9B%86%E6%88%90%E6%96%B0%E7%B7%A8083.pdf
lilysirius
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-26T13:05:21.433Z
I would ask where in the book it comes from, but it's 788 pages long, so I won't?
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/%E5%8F%A2%E6%9B%B8%E9%9B%86%E6%88%90%E6%96%B0%E7%B7%A8083.pdf
Malady
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-25T03:28:57.070Z
2023-02-25T03:28:57.070Z
lilysirius
<p>edited.</p>
<p>following lilysirius’ answer, i deleted previous comment </p>
<p>“cat” was termed as “貓”, “猫”, or “狸奴” in the past.</p>
<p>in the zen koan “南泉斬貓”, there’re verses:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>南泉因東西兩堂各爭<strong>猫</strong>兒。師遇之。白眾曰。道得即救取<strong>猫</strong>兒。道不得即斬却也。眾無對。師便斬之。趙州自外歸。師舉前語示之。州乃脫草履安頭上而出。師曰。汝適來若在。即救得<strong>猫</strong>兒也。　頌曰。</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>手把<strong>狸奴</strong>定死生。禪人空使口相爭。趙州救得成何事。恰似天明打五更。</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>提起兩堂應盡見。拈刀要取活<strong>狸奴</strong>。可憐皮下皆無血。直得橫屍滿道途。</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>盡力提持只一刀。<strong>狸奴</strong>從此脫皮毛。血流滿地成狼籍。暗為春風染小桃。</p>
</blockquote>
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2023-02-25T01:12:21.283Z
2023-02-25T03:59:51.807Z
2023-02-25T03:59:51.807Z
水巷孑蠻
<p><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%A5%B3%E5%A5%B4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wiktionary for 女奴</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(archaic) cat</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I tried looking up it up in other dictionaries, but it's so old that I can't find any other dictionaries that list it?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-24T22:34:52.530Z
That's why it is listed as "archaic". This definition has no place in modern Chinese
Tang Ho
<meaning>
Is Wiktionary right that 女奴 meant "cat" in the distant past?
# Is Wiktionary right that 女奴 meant "cat" in the distant past?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-02-24)

[Wiktionary for 女奴](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%A5%B3%E5%A5%B4):

> (archaic) cat

I tried looking up it up in other dictionaries, but it's so old that I can't find any other dictionaries that list it?

**Tags:** meaning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: That's why it is listed as "archaic". This definition has no place in modern Chinese  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-02-25. Score: 2

First time heard of it, but I did find it in a few dictionaries.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/0IEDI.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/0IEDI.png)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/JqITV.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/JqITV.png)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/qSuNX.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/qSuNX.png)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/kJpBZ.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/kJpBZ.png)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Can you find some copies of the books and stuff they're quoting?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 The dictionaries only give one same quote from Tang Dynasty, 張泌 《妝樓記》. There's a copy of the book from wikimedia: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E5%8F%A2%E6%9B%B8%E9%9B%86%E6%88%90%E6%96%B0%E7%B7%A8083.pdf  
> **username_0**: I would ask where in the book it comes from, but it's 788 pages long, so I won't? https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/%E5%8F%A2%E6%9B%B8%E9%9B%86%E6%88%90%E6%96%B0%E7%B7%A8083.pdf  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2023-02-25. Score: 0

edited.

following username_2’ answer, i deleted previous comment

“cat” was termed as “貓”, “猫”, or “狸奴” in the past.

in the zen koan “南泉斬貓”, there’re verses:

> 南泉因東西兩堂各爭**猫**兒。師遇之。白眾曰。道得即救取**猫**兒。道不得即斬却也。眾無對。師便斬之。趙州自外歸。師舉前語示之。州乃脫草履安頭上而出。師曰。汝適來若在。即救得**猫**兒也。　頌曰。

> 手把**狸奴**定死生。禪人空使口相爭。趙州救得成何事。恰似天明打五更。

> 提起兩堂應盡見。拈刀要取活**狸奴**。可憐皮下皆無血。直得橫屍滿道途。

> 盡力提持只一刀。**狸奴**從此脫皮毛。血流滿地成狼籍。暗為春風染小桃。

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