禽兽 (qín shòu) — (noun) birds and beasts; animals (collective, l…

Definition

Literary collective term for 'birds and beasts' (all animals). Also a strong insult — 'brute, beast' — for someone who acts cruelly, like an animal.

noun

birds and beastsanimals (collective, literary)beastly personbrutesavage (strong insult)

Measure word · 个

禽兽。
Zhè zhǒng xíng wéi jiǎn zhí lián qín shòu dōu bù rú.
This kind of behavior is even worse than that of an animal.
，禽兽。
Tā nüè dài ér tóng, jiǎn zhí shì gè qín shòu.
He abuses children — he's an absolute brute.
禽兽。
Gǔ dài wén xiàn zhōng cháng jiāng qín shòu yǔ rén lèi duì bǐ.
Ancient texts often contrast birds and beasts with humans.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

禽 gives birds and 兽 gives beasts, together naming animals collectively.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The earliest 禽 drew a net. A sound part was later added, and the old net and sound shapes changed into today's 禽.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 獸; 兽 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 獸 combines 單 (hunting weapon) and 犬 (dog) to show hunting; the simplified 兽 is a shorthand.

Appears in