‘Zhū ròu’ literally means ‘pig meat’ and refers specifically to pork—the edible flesh of domestic pigs. The first character, 猪 (zhū), means ‘pig’, an animal commonly raised for food in China and many other cultures. The second character, 肉 (ròu), is a general term for ‘meat’ or ‘flesh’. Together, they form a compound noun that denotes this particular type of meat, distinguishing it from other meats like beef (牛肉) or chicken (鸡肉). Unlike English, where ‘pork’ is a distinct culinary term unrelated to ‘pig’, Chinese compounds like this are transparently descriptive.

This word appears frequently in daily life—in grocery stores, restaurant menus, cooking instructions, and family meals. It’s neutral in register and appropriate in both formal and informal contexts. Pork is one of the most widely consumed meats in China, so 猪肉 is essential vocabulary for discussing food, shopping, or dining. It’s often modified by measure words (e.g., 一斤猪肉, ‘one jin of pork’) and paired with cooking verbs (e.g., 炒猪肉, ‘stir-fry pork’).