狸 (lí) — (bound morpheme) wildcat, raccoon dog (used in animal names like 狐狸 'fox')

Definition

狸 is a bound morpheme meaning 'wildcat / raccoon dog' — it never stands alone. It appears in animal compounds like 狐狸 ('fox').

bound form
(bound morpheme) wildcatraccoon dog (used in animal names like 狐狸 'fox')
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Hú lí shì yì zhǒng hěn cōng ming de dòng wù.
    The fox is a very clever animal.
  • 。
    Zhè zhī hú lí de máo shì hóng sè de.
    This fox's fur is red.
  • 。
    Hú lí zài sēn lín lǐ pǎo lái pǎo qù.
    The fox is running around in the forest.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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.

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