shih tzu

noun

ˈshēt-ˈsü How to pronounce shih tzu (audio) ˈshit-ˈsü How to pronounce shih tzu (audio)
ˈshēd-ˈzü
variants often Shih Tzu
plural shih tzu also shih tzus
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Might Comet the shih tzu snag the trophy after coming close the last two years? — Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026 Gudrun and Runar don’t have a dog, and my dog, a combination shih tzu and bichon frisé, would be humbled by such a toy. — Literary Hub, 6 Apr. 2026 For 15 years, Coeli Fortun’s life had been intertwined with that of her beloved shih tzu, Manolo. — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025 Wynonna is an American shepherd and shih tzu mix and Showgirl is a chow chow and rottweiler mix. — Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shih tzu

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

Browse Nearby Words

Shigemitsu
shih tzu
Shiism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shih tzu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shih%20tzu. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on shih tzu

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shih tzu

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All