running dog

noun

A lackey; a lapdog; an unprincipled person who helps or flatters other, more powerful and often evil people.

OriginChinese 走狗 →
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounrunning dog (plural running dogs)

plural running dogs

  1. derogatoryA lackey; a lapdog; an unprincipled person who helps or flatters other, more powerful and often evil people.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
gusano

Origin

  1. Chinese走狗“running dog”
  2. Englishrunning dog

Calque of Chinese 走狗 (zǒugǒu, “running dog”) (see also 狗腿子 (gǒutuǐzi) and 狗腿 (gǒutuǐ)), used as an insult by the governments of the People's Republic of China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (주구/走狗 (jugu)) against those supportive of the great imperialist powers, variously including Russia and the United States. Though earlier use of the figurative sense of Chinese 走狗 dates back at least to the 18th century.

More words from Chinese

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 走狗
  • 走狗 (zau² gau²)lackey
Chinese Mandarin 走狗, 狗腿子
  • 走狗 (zǒugǒu)lackey
  • 狗腿子 (gǒutuǐzi)lackey
  • 狗腿 (gǒutuǐ)lackey
Finnish kätyri, lakeija
  • kätyrilackey
  • lakeijalackey
  • perseennuolijalackey
Japanese 走狗
  • 走狗 (sōku)lackey
Korean 주구
  • 주구 (jugu)lackey
Russian при́хвостень, холу́й
  • при́хвостень (príxvostenʹ)lackey
  • холу́й (xolúj)lackey
Turkish komprador, uşak
  • kompradorlackey
  • uşaklackey
Vietnamese chó săn, tẩu cẩu
  • chó sănlackey
  • tẩu cẩulackey
Cite this entry
APA

running dog. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/running%20dog

MLA

“running dog.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/running%20dog. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “running dog,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/running%20dog.

Source: running dog on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.