宠物经济 The Pet Economy

我wǒ朋友péngyou小雨Xiǎoyǔ没有méiyǒu孩子háizi，却què养yǎng了le一yì只zhī猫māo，每měi个ge月yuè花huā在zài猫māo身上shēnshang的de钱qián比bǐ她tā自己zìjǐ吃饭chīfàn还hái多duō。

My friend Xiaoyu has no children, but she keeps a cat — the money she spends on the cat each month is even more than what she spends on herself for food.

猫粮māoliáng要yào买mǎi进口jìnkǒu的de，玩具wánjù每měi个ge月yuè换huàn新xīn的de，连lián猫砂māoshā都dōu要yào选xuǎn进口jìnkǒu品牌pǐnpái。

The cat food has to be imported, the toys get replaced every month, and even the cat litter has to be an imported brand.

上个月shàng ge yuè猫māo感冒gǎnmào，去qù宠物chǒngwù医院yīyuàn看病kànbìng，一yí次cì就jiù花huā了le两千liǎngqiān多duō块kuài钱qián。

Last month the cat caught a cold, and just one visit to the pet hospital cost more than two thousand yuan.

小雨Xiǎoyǔ说shuō：“人rén生病shēngbìng去qù医院yīyuàn不一定bù yídìng花huā这么zhème多duō钱qián，可是kěshì猫māo生病shēngbìng，我wǒ不能bùnéng省shěng。”

Xiaoyu said: "When a person gets sick and goes to the hospital, it doesn't necessarily cost this much money, but when the cat gets sick, I can't cut corners."

像xiàng小雨Xiǎoyǔ这样zhèyàng的de人rén越来越yuèláiyuè多duō，这zhè几jǐ年nián“宠物经济chǒngwù jīngjì”这个zhège词cí也yě越来越yuèláiyuè常见chángjiàn。

There are more and more people like Xiaoyu, and in recent years the term "pet economy" has also become more and more common.

数据shùjù显示xiǎnshì，中国Zhōngguó有yǒu超过chāoguò一yí亿yì只zhī宠物chǒngwù猫狗māo gǒu，相关xiāngguān的de市场shìchǎng一yì年nián能néng达到dádào几jǐ千亿qiānyì元yuán。

Data shows that China has more than one hundred million pet cats and dogs, and the related market can reach hundreds of billions of yuan a year.

从cóng宠物chǒngwù食品shípǐn、宠物chǒngwù医院yīyuàn，到dào宠物chǒngwù摄影shèyǐng、宠物chǒngwù保险bǎoxiǎn，几乎jīhū每měi个ge行业hángyè都dōu在zài为wèi宠物chǒngwù服务fúwù。

From pet food and pet hospitals to pet photography and pet insurance, almost every industry is serving pets.

有人yǒurén觉得juéde这zhè是shì浪费làngfèi钱qián，可是kěshì对duì小雨Xiǎoyǔ来说láishuō，猫māo早就zǎojiù是shì家人jiārén，不bú是shì宠物chǒngwù那么nàme简单jiǎndān。

Some people feel it's a waste of money, but to Xiaoyu, the cat has long been family — not as simple as just being a pet.

她tā说shuō：“它tā不会búhuì说话shuōhuà，但是dànshì它tā陪着péizhe我wǒ，这种zhèzhǒng陪伴péibàn，多少duōshao钱qián都dōu买不到mǎibudào。”

She said: "It can't talk, but it keeps me company — no amount of money can buy this kind of companionship."

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

宠物经济chǒngwù jīngjìpet economy

猫粮māoliángcat food

猫砂māoshācat litter

数据shùjùdata

浪费làngfèito waste

陪伴péibàncompanionship

Grammar note 语法点

越来越……

'More and more...' — describes a gradually increasing trend.

像小雨这样的人越来越多。

连……都……

'Even...' — emphasizes an extreme example.

连猫砂都要选进口品牌。

对……来说

'As for...; to...' — introduces a personal perspective.

对小雨来说，猫早就是家人。

Check yourself 小测验

1. 小雨的猫感冒后去宠物医院，一次花了多少钱？

2. 根据数据，中国大约有多少只宠物猫狗？

3. 对小雨来说，猫是什么？

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宠物经济Chǒngwù jīngjìThe Pet Economy

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

Reading is the easy part. Speaking is where you get stuck.

More HSK 5 reading practice