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.

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

最小

zuì xiǎo

最小 (zuì xiǎo) is an adjective meaning 'smalles

缓慢

huǎn màn

缓慢 is an adjective meaning 'slow' or 'sluggish',

帮派

bāngpài

帮派 (bāngpài) is a compound noun meaning 'cliqu

希有

xī yǒu

‘希有’ (xī yǒu) is an adjective meaning 'rare'

希世

xī shì

‘希世’ (xī shì) is an elegant, literary adject

适宜

shì yí

适宜 means 'suitable' or 'appropriate', emphasizin

完蛋

wán dàn

'完蛋' (wán dàn) is a vivid, informal verb meani

始作俑者

shǐ zuò yǒng zhě

‘始作俑者’ literally means ‘the first person to

原始

yuán shǐ

'原始' (yuán shǐ) is an adjective meaning 'primi

牛奶

niú nǎi

牛奶 literally means 'cow's milk' — 牛 (niú) mea

渔夫

yú fū

渔夫 (yú fū) literally combines two characters: