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• Shar-Pei
  Shar-Pei

  noun

  one of a Chinese breed of large muscular dogs having a distinctive wrinkly skin covered by a fawn to dark brown smooth coat, originally developed as a guard dog.
• Shar Pei
  Shar Pei

  noun

  a compact squarely-built dog of a Chinese breed, with loose wrinkled skin and a harsh bristly coat

Shar-Pei

American  

[shahr-pey] / ˈʃɑrˈpeɪ /

noun

1. one of a Chinese breed of large muscular dogs having a distinctive wrinkly skin covered by a fawn to dark brown smooth coat, originally developed as a guard dog.

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Shar Pei British  

/ ʃɑː ˈpeɪ /

noun

1. a compact squarely-built dog of a Chinese breed, with loose wrinkled skin and a harsh bristly coat

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Etymology

Origin of Shar-Pei

First recorded in 1975–80; from dialectal Chinese, equivalent to Chinese shā pí literally, “sand fur” (compare Guangdong dialect sā péi ); English spelling with r perhaps r-less speaker's representation of the vowel

Example Sentences

Walking his two Shar-Pei dogs on the lawn in front of City Hall, Terence Greiner, homeless until two years ago, said he thinks “anyone elected into office should be allowed to finish their term.”

From Washington Post • Jun. 6, 2022

The par-4 fifth at Kinloch is nestled beneath hills that resemble the folds of a giantslumbering Shar-Pei.

From Golf Digest • Jan. 21, 2020

Jumblatt’s main companion these days is an arthritic Shar-Pei named Oscar.

From The New Yorker • Dec. 4, 2016

She also said she liked being able to bring her dog, a Shar-Pei named Mabel Ming, to work every day.

From New York Times • Jun. 21, 2016

Jeffrey Bolger, 50, lost out on about 10 months of paychecks while he was accused of killing a 7-year-old Shar-Pei in June 2014, the Baltimore Sun reports.

From Time • Mar. 8, 2016