How widespread is eating dogs in China? Is it more common in the South ? Is it declared on the menu ,and if so,do they use the word gou 狗 ,or do they have another word for it [like venison for deer in English ]?

I was interested in the differences in  onomatopoeia around the world for the dog bark and wondered if there was a difference in the predominence of breeds in different parts of the world that was having an influence.Was there a predominent breed in China historically? I mean the bark of a small dog is quite different to a large dog.

  Bugs - chóng

虫 (simp.)

蟲  (trad.) 

  I have no fear of dogs but I do fear being stuck outside with hungry mosquitoes and lots of them like the traditional character for bugs.  Athough the Chinese Character for mosquito is :

mosquito n. 蚊子wénzi for both traditional or simplified  to me it should be :

蚊蚊蚊蚊

蚊蚊蚊蚊蚊蚊蚊子

蚊蚊蚊蚊

Sadly, the average Singaporean Chinese person still has a lot to learn about keeping dogs as pets (rather than as scruffy guard dogs which are never allowed into the house).

The nervous ones are too nervous, the "nouveaux" dog lovers can be very irresponsible, Eg., letting their dogs go unleashed and leaving young children unattended with one (or even two...) dogs, a recipe for disaster if you ask me. I really appreciate the way in which "Western" expats who own dogs here love their dogs without upsetting their neighbours.

About five years ago, I was badly bitten -- on the back of the hand -- by a former neighbour's small breed. The scars are still visible; the A&E doctor told me that I was lucky the dog didn't get its teeth behind the small "carpal" (?) bones, or I would have been looking at many surgeries.

I'll never forget what the owner said to me when I spoke to her after the "accident": "I don't know what to say, my dog is like a member of the family. Actually, we've all been nipped by her, but it was always nothing serious and she's actually very loving."

I'm afraid I made such a stink that they sent the dog to a "doggie psychiatrist" (yeah, sure...). But I'm ashamed to say that I made her cry by asking her to consider how she would make amends if her dog bit any of the tots in the apartment block around the head or face; this was before the Stunt Toddler was born, but the dog had already nipped a toddler living there. To this day, I still can't help asking ST's nanny for reports on how the owner/dog is behaving! I'm glad to say that they have learned to carry the dog in their arms when there are small children about!

You've raised a good topic.

Before the advent of simplified characters, 虫 and 蟲 had different meanings respectively, i.e. the former mainly meant "serpent", and the latter "insects and worms". Btw, I hate snakes very much.

And that is the reason why reptiles are interpreted as "爬虫类" (pa2 chong2 lei4) even in modern Chinese. Unfortunately, simplification sacrificed the original meaning of some Chinese characters.

I was looking to see if there were any more lessons as enjoyable as the man who was shaped like an onion. Finding humor in such corney jokes and a whole topic of conversation about a scary little dog is really charming. Wonderful lesson.

bababardwan,

Rabies is a legitimate concern. It's 狂犬病/kuang2 quan3 bing4/，which literally means crazy dog disease. Rabies shots is 狂犬病疫苗/kuang2 quan3 bing4 yi4 miao2.

Eating dog meat is a custom in 东北/North East of China, partly due to the cold climate (Chinese believe dog meat generate heat in the body, lamb meat too). But a lot of young people frown upon it. And it's not common in the rest of China.  

Fixed! thanks!