狼獾 (láng huān) — wolverine (a carnivorous mammal known for its strength and ferocity)

Definition

noun
wolverine (a carnivorous mammal known for its strength and ferocity)
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 狼獾。
    Zhè zhǒng láng huān shēng huó zài hán lěng de běi fāng sēn lín lǐ.
    This kind of wolverine lives in the cold northern forests.
  • 狼獾,。
    láng huān De tǐ xíng suī bú dà, dàn fēi cháng xiōng měng.
    Although the wolverine's body is not large, it is very ferocious.
  • 狼獾。
    Dòng wù yuán lǐ xīn lái le yì zhī láng huān.
    The zoo recently welcomed a wolverine.

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.

獾huānbadger

狼 and 獾 name a wolf and a badger, but the word refers to the wolverine.

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
犭Written in full as犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
良
良liáng狼láng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 犭 (full form 犬) shows a dog-like animal. The right part 良 gives the sound.

Open 狼 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 獾 →

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