老狐狸 (lǎo hú li) — old fox, crafty scoundrel

Definition

A figurative noun for a cunning, wily person — an 'old fox' in the sense of someone experienced and crafty. The 狐 is a measure word variant of 只 here. No listed siblings to contrast with.

noun
old foxcrafty scoundrel
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 老狐狸，。
    Tā zài shāng chǎng shàng shì gè lǎo hú li, méi rén néng piàn tā.
    He's an old fox in business; no one can fool him.
  • 老狐狸。
    Nà zhī lǎo hú li zǎo jiù kàn chuān le tā de bǎ xì.
    That old fox saw through his tricks early on.
  • 老狐狸，。
    Dà jiā dōu jiào tā lǎo hú li, yīn wèi tā tài jiǎo huá le.
    Everyone calls him old fox because he's too cunning.

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.

老lǎoold
狐狸fox
狐húfox狸lícivet
联合Side by side

老 adds age or experience, while 狐 and 狸 as animal names give the image of a fox.

Characters in this word

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

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

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
犭Written in full as犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
瓜
瓜guā狐hú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

狐 uses 犭, the dog sign, to mark it as an animal, and 瓜 to give the sound.

Open 狐 →

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
犬犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ狸
Same sound today

狸 pairs 犬, a dog, with 里, which gives the sound.

Open 狸 →

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