怪兽 (guài shòu) — monster, mythical beast

Definition

怪物 is for any strange creature or person; 怪兽 is the larger, often powerful kind from films, games, and legends — a 'monster' to fight or fear.

noun

monstermythical beast

Measure word · 只

怪兽。
Zhè bù diàn yǐng lǐ de guài shòu hěn kě pà.
The monster in this movie is very scary.
怪兽。
Tā zài yóu xì lǐ dǎ bài le yí gè dà guài shòu.
He defeated a big monster in the game.
怪兽。
Gǔ dài chuán shuō zhōng yě yǒu hěn duō guài shòu.
There are also many mythical beasts in ancient legends.

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.

怪 'strange' describes 兽 'beast', giving a strange or mythical beast.

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.

忄圣怪

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīn

Sound part声符shēngfú

圣

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

怪 is built from 忄, a form of 心, which relates to mind or feeling, and 圣, which gives the sound.

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