A shitzu is a very small dog. It has short legs, a coat that curls or waves, long ears, and a lot of hair around its mouth, so its face can look as if it has a little beard. People keep it as a house dog. You will also see the name written Shih Tzu — that is the same dog, and that spelling is more common in English. Though actually the letters can make learners think of a rude English word. It is not rude, and it is not related to shit. The English name comes from Chinese 獅子, “lion”: the dog was bred to look a bit like a tiny lion. In Taiwan we call the same dog 西施犬, after the beauty Xi Shi — a different Chinese name, not a letter-by-letter match.