饕 (tāo) — (bound form) gluttonous, greedy; appears in 饕餮
Definition
A rare bound form meaning 'gluttonous, greedy,' used almost only in the word 饕餮 — a mythic beast and a bronze-age mask motif. Learners meet it as part of 饕餮, not as a standalone word.
bound form
gluttonousgreedyappears in 饕餮
Examples
- 饕餮。Zhè ge shén huà lǐ de tāo tiè shì yì zhǒng tān chī de guài shòu.In this myth, the taotie is a gluttonous monster.
- 饕餮，。Tā kàn rén rú tāo tiè, zǒng xiǎng zhàn bié rén pián yi.He eyes people like a taotie, always trying to take advantage of others.
- 饕餮。Qīng tóng qì shàng cháng kè yǒu tāo tiè wén.Bronze vessels often feature the taotie pattern.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
號
號hào饕tāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
饕 uses 食 for food and 號 for its sound.
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