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.

需用

xū yòng

‘需用’ is a compound noun meaning ‘required use

阴阳

yīn yáng

Yīn yáng is a foundational concept in traditiona

附着

fù zhuó

附着 (fù zhuó) is a verb meaning 'to adhere' or

阿Q

ā Q

Ā Q (Ah Q) is the iconic nickname of the main cha

银色

yín sè

‘银色’ (yín sè) literally means ‘silver color

较少

jiào shǎo

较少 is an adverb meaning 'relatively fewer' or 'c

跟屁虫

gēn pì chóng

‘跟屁虫’ literally means ‘a bug that follows th

跟前

gēn qián

跟前 means 'right in front of someone'—a spatial

越界

yuèjiè

越界 literally means 'to cross a boundary' — 越 (

锦标赛

jǐn biāo sài

'锦标赛' (jǐn biāo sài) literally combines thre

变态

biàn tài

The word biàntài literally combines biàn (to ch

变幻

biàn huàn

变幻 (biàn huàn) is a verb meaning 'to shift unp

护卫

hù wèi

护卫 literally combines 护 (hù, 'to protect') and

保护

bǎo hù

保护 (bǎo hù) is a compound verb meaning 'to pro

牛角

niú jiǎo

牛角 (niú jiǎo) literally means 'cow horn' — a

主角

zhǔ jiǎo

主角 literally means 'main role' or 'principal par

陪衬

péi chèn

‘陪衬’ literally combines ‘陪’ (to accompany,

反衬

fǎn chèn

‘反衬’ is a literary and rhetorical device meani

衬托

chèn tuō

‘衬托’ is a verb meaning ‘to set off’ or ‘to

牛仔裤

niú zǎi kù

‘牛仔裤’ literally means ‘cowboy pants’ — a d

蓝色

lán sè

'蓝色' (lán sè) literally means 'blue color' and

万物

wàn wù

'Wàn wù' literally means 'ten thousand things'—

渔船

yú chuán

渔船 (yú chuán) literally combines 渔 (yú), mea

脚印

jiǎo yìn

‘脚印’ literally combines ‘脚’ (jiǎo), meanin

胖娃娃

pàng wá wa

‘胖娃娃’ literally means 'chubby baby' — 胖 (p

圆胖

yuán pàng

‘圆胖’ (yuán pàng) is a compound adjective for

胖墩墩

pàng dūn dūn

‘胖墩墩’ is a reduplicated, affectionate adjecti

胖乎乎

pàng hū hū

‘胖乎乎’ is a reduplicated, affectionate adjecti

抚育

fǔ yù

抚育 means 'to raise' or 'to nurture', especially

养育

yǎng yù

‘养育’ is a compound verb meaning 'to bring up'

声音

shēng yīn

'声音' (shēng yīn) literally combines 'shēng' (

闻所未闻

wén suǒ wèi wén

‘闻所未闻’ literally means ‘heard of what was n

渔网

yú wǎng

渔网 (yú wǎng) literally combines 渔 (yú), mean

落网

luò wǎng

‘落网’ literally means ‘to fall into a net’ —

结网

jiē wǎng

‘结网’ literally means ‘to tie/bind (结) a net

等级

děng jí

等级 (děng jí) is a noun meaning 'class,' 'rank,

宝箱

bǎo xiāng

‘宝箱’ (bǎo xiāng) literally combines ‘宝’ (

突起

tū qǐ

突起 (tū qǐ) is a noun meaning 'a protrusion' or

突袭

tū xí

突袭 means 'surprise attack' — a sudden, unexpect

矮胖

ǎi pàng

矮胖 (ǎi pàng) is an adjective meaning 'short an