恶狗 (è gǒu) — ferocious dog; vicious dog | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A 'ferocious / vicious dog' — 恶 stresses a bad, hostile temperament, often implying the dog attacks or bites. Not just any unfriendly dog, but one perceived as dangerous.

noun

ferocious dogvicious dog

Measure word · 只

Examples

恶狗。
Nà tiáo è gǒu hěn kě pà.
That ferocious dog is very scary.
恶狗。
Tā yǎng le yì zhī è gǒu kān mén.
He keeps a vicious dog to guard the door.
恶狗，！
Xiǎo xīn è gǒu, tā huì yǎo rén!
Watch out for the ferocious dog — it bites!

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.

恶 describes a bad or ferocious quality, and 狗 is the 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 惡; 恶 is its simplified writing.

亞心惡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

亞

亞yā惡è

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 惡 pairs 心 (heart) as the meaning part with 亞 (yā) as the sound part; the simplified 恶 is a later shorthand.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

句

句jù狗gǒu

Same sound today

狗 combines 犬, meaning dog, with 句, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Animals & Mammals

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