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.

蜜蜂

mì fēng

‘蜜蜂’ (mì fēng) literally combines ‘蜜’ (m

属蛇

shǔ shé

'属蛇' literally means 'belongs to the Snake' and

蛇蝎心肠

shé xiē xīn cháng

‘蛇蝎心肠’ (shé xiē xīn cháng) is a vivid, f

画蛇添足

huà shé tiān zú

'Draw a snake and add legs' is a classic Chinese i

牛鬼蛇神

niú guǐ shé shén

牛鬼蛇神 literally means 'ox demons, ghosts, snake

蛇毒

shé dú

'Snake venom' (shé dú) is a toxic substance prod

蛇形

shé xíng

‘蛇形’ (shé xíng) literally combines ‘snake’

虹彩

hóng cǎi

虹彩 (hóng cǎi) literally combines 虹 (hóng), m

荐举

jiàn jǔ

荐举 (jiàn jǔ) is a formal, literary verb meanin

厚薄

hòu bó

厚薄 (hòu bó) is a compound noun formed by combi

华丽

huálì

华丽 (huálì) is an adjective meaning 'splendid',

英雄

yīngxióng

‘英雄’ (yīngxióng) literally combines two char

发臭

fā chòu

发臭 (fā chòu) is a verb meaning 'to become foul

臭烘烘

chòu hōng hōng

'Chòu hōng hōng' is a reduplicative adjective t

臭味相投

chòu wèi xiāng tóu

‘臭味相投’ literally means 'stinky smells meet a

卧底

wò dǐ

'卧底' (wò dǐ) literally means 'lying at the bot

明胶

míng jiāo

‘明胶’ (míng jiāo) is the standard Chinese ter

臂膀

bì bǎng

臂膀 literally combines 臂 (bì), meaning 'arm', a

细腰

xì yāo

细腰 (xì yāo) literally means 'thin waist' or 's

腐乳

fǔrǔ

Fermented tofu (fǔrǔ) is a traditional Chinese c

腐朽

fǔxiǔ

腐朽 (fǔxiǔ) is an adjective meaning 'decadent'

长脖子

cháng bó zi

长脖子 (cháng bó zi) literally means 'long neck'

脆响

cuì xiǎng

'脆响' (cuì xiǎng) is a noun describing a sharp,

清脆

qīng cuì

‘清脆’ (qīng cuì) is an adjective describing s

脆皮

cuì pí

‘脆皮’ literally combines 脆 (cuì), meaning 'cr

胁从

xié cóng

'胁从' (xié cóng) is a formal noun meaning 'a pe

胡服

húfú

‘Húfú’ literally means ‘Hu clothing’—‘hú

胡琴

húqín

‘Húqín’ literally means ‘Hu string instrument

背光

bèi guāng

背光 (bèi guāng) literally means 'back light' —

肩头

jiān tóu

肩头 literally combines 肩 (jiān), meaning 'shoul

一股

yī gǔ

‘一股’ (yī gǔ) is a measure word phrase meanin

翅片

chì piàn

翅片 (chì piàn) literally means 'wing slice'—'

翅膜

chì mó

翅膜 (chì mó) is a technical noun used primarily

双翅

shuāng chì

‘双翅’ literally means ‘pair of wings’—‘双’

展翅

zhǎn chì

‘展翅’ literally means ‘to spread one’s wings

翅膀

chì bǎng

‘翅膀’ literally means ‘wing’—the paired, fea

群居

qún jū

群居 (qún jū) literally combines 群 (qún), mean

兽群

shòu qún

‘兽群’ literally combines 兽 (shòu), meaning 'b

羊群

yáng qún

羊群 is a compound noun meaning 'flock of sheep'.

惩罚

chéng fá

惩罚 (chéng fá) is a compound word meaning 'puni