TongTong
Sign in

冷血动物 (lěng xuè dòng wù) — (literal) cold-blooded animal (e.g., reptiles, amphibians, fish); (figurative) an unfeeling or cold-hearted person

Definition

A literal biological term for cold-blooded animals (reptiles, fish) used figuratively to call someone an unfeeling, cold-hearted person.

noun
(literal) cold-blooded animal (e.g., reptiles, amphibians, fish)(figurative) an unfeeling or cold-hearted person
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 冷血动物。
    Shé shì yì zhǒng lěng xuè dòng wù.
    Snakes are a type of cold-blooded animal.
  • ，冷血动物。
    Tā duì bié rén de tòng kǔ háo bù guān xīn, zhēn shì gè lěng xuè dòng wù.
    He shows no concern for others' suffering—he's really a cold-hearted person.
  • 冷血动物。
    Kē xué jiā yán jiū lěng xuè dòng wù de xí xìng.
    Scientists study the habits of cold-blooded animals.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

冷血cold blood
冷lěngcold血xuèblood
偏正Modifier + head
动物animal
动dòngmoving物wùthing
偏正Modifier + head

冷血 gives cold blood, and 动物 gives animal, so the word means a cold-blooded animal.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
冫Written in full as仌bīngice
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng冷lěng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

冷 uses 冫, the ice form, with 令 as a sound part, to mean cold as ice.

Open 冷 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 一一yīdrop of blood
  • 皿皿mǐncontainer

The shape shows 一, a drop of blood, inside 皿, a container, for blood held in a sacrificial vessel.

Open 血 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
牛牛niú
Sound part声符shēngfú
勿
勿wù物wù
Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

Open 物 →
Appears in
Animals & MammalsBiology

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.