Browse "Animals" Characters

Every character has an origin. Discover the pictographs, myths, and history behind each Chinese character — with pinyin, stroke order, HSK level, and audio pronunciation.

昆裔

kūn yì

‘昆裔’ is a formal, literary noun meaning ‘desc

昆仲

kūn zhòng

‘昆仲’ is a formal, literary term meaning ‘brot

昆弟

kūn dì

‘昆弟’ is a formal, literary term meaning ‘brot

斗争

dòu zhēng

‘斗争’ (dòu zhēng) literally combines ‘斗’ (

北斗

běi dǒu

北斗 (běi dǒu) literally means 'Northern Dipper'

劲敌

jìng dí

‘劲敌’ literally combines ‘劲’ (jìng), meanin

敌情

dí qíng

‘敌情’ literally means 'enemy situation' and ref

营救

yíngjiù

营救 (yíngjiù) is a formal, written verb meaning

救援

jiùyuán

‘救援’ (jiùyuán) is a compound noun meaning ‘

敏锐

mǐn ruì

敏 (mǐn) means 'quick', 'sensitive', or 'alert',

敏捷

mǐn jié

敏捷 (mǐn jié) is an adjective meaning 'agile' o

摄食

shè shí

‘摄食’ (shè shí) literally combines ‘摄’ (to

拦挡

lán dǎng

拦挡 (lán dǎng) is a compound verb meaning 'to b

拦住

lán zhù

拦住 is a compound verb meaning 'to stop (someone

拦截

jié lán

‘拦截’ is a compound verb meaning 'to intercept'

挤奶

jǐ nǎi

挤奶 (jǐ nǎi) is a verb meaning 'to milk' — spe

挡箭牌

dǎng jiàn pái

‘挡箭牌’ literally means 'arrow-blocking board'

击溃

jī kuì

击溃 is a compound verb meaning 'to crush' or 'to

反击

fǎn jī

反击 literally means 'reverse strike' — 反 (fǎn)

攻击

gōng jī

攻击 means 'to attack' — a verb describing an agg

手撕

shǒu sī

'Hand-torn' (shǒu sī) is a compound adjective fo

摸头

mō tóu

'Mō tóu' literally means 'to touch head' — comb

摸鱼

mō yú

‘摸鱼’ (mō yú) literally means ‘to catch fish

摩挲

mōsuō

摩挲 (mōsuō) is a reduplicative verb meaning to

抢攻

qiǎng gōng

‘抢攻’ literally combines 抢 (to seize, snatch,

搜寻

sōu xún

搜寻 (sōu xún) is a compound verb meaning 'to se

摇晃

yáo huàng

‘摇晃’ is a compound verb meaning 'to shake', 't

摇篮

yáo lán

‘摇篮’ literally means ‘rocking basket’ — ‘

构数

gòu shù

‘构数’ (gòu shù) literally combines ‘构’ (g

构用

gòu yòng

构用 (gòu yòng) is an adjective meaning 'suffici

插图

chā tú

‘插图’ (chā tú) literally combines ‘插’ (ch

速描

sùmiáo

'Speed sketch' or 'quick sketch', 速描 refers to a

素描

sùmiáo

"Sùmiáo" literally combines 素 (sù), meaning "p

描边

miáobiān

描边 (miáobiān) literally means 'to trace the ed

描绘

miáohuì

描绘 is a transitive verb meaning 'to depict' or '

描写

miáoxiě

描写 (miáoxiě) is a literary noun meaning 'descr

挣开

zhèngkāi

挣开 (zhèngkāi) is a compound verb meaning 'to f

挣脱

zhèngtuō

挣脱 (zhèngtuō) is a compound verb meaning 'to b

挑粪

tiāo fèn

'Tiāo fèn' literally means 'to carry manure' —

拍马屁

pāi mǎ pì

'Pāi mǎ pì' literally means 'to pat a horse’s