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走狗 (zǒu gǒu) — (derogatory) lackey, stooge, running dog (someone who serves a corrupt master); (literal, rare) hunting dog

Definition

Strongly derogatory term for a 'lackey' or 'stooge' — someone who serves a corrupt or oppressive master. The literal 'hunting dog' sense is rare and historical; in modern Chinese the word is almost always a political insult.

noun
(derogatory) lackeystoogerunning dog (someone who serves a corrupt master)(literal, rare) hunting dog
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 走狗。
    Tā wèi le lì yì gān dāng zī běn jiā de zǒu gǒu.
    He willingly acts as a stooge for the capitalists for personal gain.
  • 走狗。
    Zhè xiē zǒu gǒu zhī huì bāng qīn lüè zhě qī yā bǎi xìng.
    These lackeys only help the invaders oppress the common people.
  • ，走狗。
    Zài jiù xiǎo shuō lǐ, zǒu gǒu cháng bèi miáo xiě chéng zhù zhòu wéi nüè de jué sè.
    In old novels, running dogs are often portrayed as accomplices in tyranny.

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.

走zǒurun
狗gǒudog

走 means run, and 狗 is dog, together picturing a dog that runs for its master.

Characters in this word

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

The original shape showed a running man, with a foot added later.

Open 走 →

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
句
句jù狗gǒu
Same sound today

狗 combines 犬, meaning dog, with 句, which gives the sound.

Open 狗 →
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