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.

跑蹄

páo tí

‘跑蹄’ is a verb meaning 'to stamp with hooves'

跑地

páo dì

‘跑地’ (páo dì) is a verb meaning ‘to scrape

跑沙

páo shā

‘跑沙’ (páo shā) is a verb describing the acti

跑馬

páo mǎ

‘跑馬’ literally means 'to run horse' and functi

走失

zǒu shī

‘走失’ is a compound verb meaning ‘to get lost

皮蛋

pí dàn

‘皮蛋’ (pí dàn) literally means ‘skin egg’—

蛋黄

dàn huáng

蛋黄 (dàn huáng) literally means 'egg yellow' —

蛋白

dàn bái

蛋白 literally means 'egg' (蛋) + 'white' (白), an

鸭蛋

yā dàn

'鸭蛋' literally combines '鸭' (yā), meaning 'duc

鸡蛋

jī dàn

‘Jī dàn’ literally means ‘chicken egg’—it c

颜色

yán sè

Yánsè means 'color' or 'hue' — the visual prope

变色

biàn sè

‘变色’ literally means ‘to change color’ — co

红色

hóng sè

红色 (hóng sè) literally means 'red color' and f

肥肉

féi ròu

‘Féi ròu’ literally combines ‘féi’ (fat, fa

肉松

ròu sōng

Shredded dried meat, or 'ròu sōng', is a traditi

肉店

ròu diàn

‘Ròu diàn’ literally combines ‘ròu’ (meat)

鸡肉

jī ròu

鸡肉 (jī ròu) literally means 'chicken meat' and

替罪羊

tì zuì yáng

‘替罪羊’ (tì zuì yáng) literally means ‘subs

羊圈

yáng juàn

羊圈 (yáng juàn) literally combines 羊 (yáng),

羊角

yáng jiǎo

羊角 (yáng jiǎo) literally means 'ram’s horn'—

羊毛

yáng máo

羊毛 (yáng máo) literally means 'sheep hair' and

绵羊

mián yáng

‘绵羊’ literally combines ‘绵’ (mián), meanin

山羊

shān yáng

山羊 (shān yáng) literally means 'mountain sheep

毛笔

máo bǐ

‘Máo bǐ’ literally means ‘hair brush’—‘má

分离

fēn lí

分离 (fēn lí) literally combines 分 (‘to divide

点睛之笔

diǎn jīng zhī bǐ

‘点睛之笔’ literally means ‘the brushstroke tha

点睛

diǎn jīng

‘点睛’ literally means ‘to dot the eye’ and or

眼睛

yǎn jīng

‘Yǎn jīng’ literally means ‘eye’—the physic

百科全书

bǎi kē quán shū

百科全书 literally means 'hundred subjects, comple

白色

bái sè

'白色' literally means 'white color' and functions

吃瓜

chī guā

'Chī guā' (literally 'eat melon') is internet sl

吹牛

chuī niú

'Chuī niú' literally means 'to blow a cow'—a vi

对牛弹琴

duì niú tán qín

'To play the lute to an ox' is a classical Chinese

老黄牛

lǎo huáng niú

‘Lǎo huáng niú’ literally means ‘old yellow

水牛

shuǐ niú

水牛 (shuǐ niú) literally means 'water ox' — 水

牛肉

niú ròu

‘Niú ròu’ literally means ‘cow meat’ and ref

游动

yóu dòng

游动 (yóu dòng) is a verb meaning 'to move or sw

儿歌

ér gē

‘Ér gē’ literally means ‘child song’ — ‘é

守望

shǒu wàng

守望 is a compound verb meaning 'to keep watch' or

最快

zuì kuài

最快 (zuì kuài) literally means 'most fast' and