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.

油炸

yóu zhá

油炸 (yóu zhá) literally means 'oil-fried' and f

炮羊肉

páo yáng ròu

炮羊肉 (páo yáng ròu) is a traditional Beijing-

黑炭

hēi tàn

‘黑炭’ (hēi tàn) literally means 'black charco

灰色

huī sè

灰色 (huī sè) literally combines 灰 (huī), mean

滩涂

tān tú

滩涂 (tān tú) refers to intertidal mudflats—low

浏亮

liú liàng

‘浏亮’ is an elegant, literary adjective describ

浓眉

nóng méi

‘浓眉’ literally means 'thick eyebrows' — the c

浇淋

jiāo lín

‘浇淋’ is a compound verb meaning 'to douse' or

渐变

jiān biàn

'渐变' (jiān biàn) literally combines 'gradual'

漏网

lòu wǎng

‘漏网’ literally means ‘leaking net’—a net wi

翻滚

fān gǔn

翻滚 (fān gǔn) is a compound verb meaning 'to tu

滚珠

gǔn zhū

‘滚珠’ literally means ‘rolling bead’ — 滚 (g

滑头

huá tou

‘滑头’ literally combines ‘滑’ (huá), meaning

滑翔

huá xiáng

滑翔 (huá xiáng) literally combines 滑 (huá), m

起源

qǐ yuán

起源 (qǐ yuán) is a noun meaning 'origin' or 'be

淡水

dàn shuǐ

淡水 (dàn shuǐ) literally means 'bland water' —

淘漉

táo lù

淘漉 (táo lù) is a classical two-character verb

淘汰

táo tài

淘汰 (táo tài) is a verb meaning 'to eliminate'

泛指

fàn zhǐ

‘泛指’ is a verb meaning ‘to refer to generally

泛滥

fàn làn

泛滥 literally combines 泛 (fàn), meaning 'to spr

冲锋

chōng fēng

冲锋 literally means 'rush forward + sharp point/e

沉睡

chén shuì

沉睡 (chén shuì) literally combines 沉 (chén, '

鱼池

yú chí

‘鱼池’ (yú chí) literally combines ‘鱼’ (yú

毛毯

máo tǎn

毛毯 (máo tǎn) literally means 'hair blanket'—'

毒舌

dú shé

‘毒舌’ literally means 'poisonous tongue'—a viv

毒蛇

dú shé

‘毒蛇’ literally combines two characters: 毒 (d

杀青

shā qīng

'Shā qīng' literally means 'to kill the green'

杀手

shā shǒu

杀手 literally means 'kill hand' — combining 杀 (

归宿

guī sù

‘归宿’ literally combines ‘归’ (to return, to

武德

wǔ dé

‘Wǔ dé’ (martial virtue) is a traditional Chin

模型

mú xíng

模型 (mú xíng) means 'model' in the sense of a p

狙击枪

jū jī qiāng

A jūjī qiāng (sniper rifle) is a highly accurat

机枪

jī qiāng

机枪 (jī qiāng) literally combines 机 (jī), mea

步枪

bù qiāng

‘步枪’ (bù qiāng) literally means ‘foot gun’

椒盐

jiāo yán

椒盐 (jiāo yán) is a classic Chinese seasoning b

棋子

qízǐ

‘棋子’ literally means ‘chess piece’—a small

象棋

xiàngqí

Xiangqi (Chinese chess) is a traditional two-playe

核心

hé xīn

核心 (hé xīn) literally combines 核 (‘kernel’

刚柔

gāng róu

刚柔 (gāng róu) is a classical Chinese compound

柔顺

róu shùn

柔顺 (róu shùn) is an adjective meaning 'obedien