熊掌 (xióng zhǎng) — bear's paw (as a delicacy) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

熊掌 (xióng zhǎng) literally means 'bear's paw' and refers to it as a rare, prized delicacy in Chinese cuisine — best recognized from the classical idiom 鱼与熊掌 (鱼和熊掌不可兼得, 'can't have both').

noun

bear's paw (as a delicacy)

Measure word · 只

Examples

熊掌，。
Zhè dào cài shì yòng xióng zhǎng zuò de, fēi cháng xiān měi.
This dish is made with bear's paw and is very delicious.
熊掌。
Hěn duō rén rèn wéi xióng zhǎng shì dǐng jí de měi wèi.
Many people consider bear's paw to be a top delicacy.
熊掌。
Yé ye shuō tā nián qīng de shí hou chī guò yí cì xióng zhǎng.
Grandpa says he ate bear's paw once when he was young.

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.

熊 (bear) specifies whose 掌 (paw), giving bear paw.

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

能能néngbear

Sound part声符shēngfú

炎

炎yán熊xióng

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

熊 is made of 能 and 炎. It originally represented a word for raging flame; when 能 was borrowed for another word, 熊 came to write 'bear'.

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

尚

尚shàng掌zhǎng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

It combines 手, meaning hand, with 尚, which gives it a sound close to shàng.

Appears in

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