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獠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
liáoto hunt at night with torchesn, 15 strokes, radical 犭
liáofierceunknown, 15 strokes, radical 犭
liáohuntunknown, 15 strokes, radical 犭
liáoname of a tribeunknown, 15 strokes, radical 犭
liáo(liao2) T2
  1. 1to hunt at night with torches
  2. 2fierce
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March 24, 2026

liáo(liao2)

The character 獠 (liáo) refers to the act of hunting at night, often with the aid of torches, emphasizing a fierce and aggressive approach. It can also denote the fierceness associated with hunting and is linked to a specific tribe known for its hunting skills. This character is typically used in contexts related to hunting or describing a fierce demeanor.

Strokes15Radical
Cultural Note

The character 獠 connects to the historical practices of tribes that relied on night hunting as a vital means of survival. This reflects the traditional relationship between humans and the environment in ancient Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a fierce, torch-wielding hunter on the prowl at night. The left side of 獠 resembles a fierce animal (犭), while the right side (夭) can be seen as a torch lighting up the darkness. Together, they evoke the image of a daring night hunt.

Meanings of 獠

liáo(liao2)
1to hunt at night with torches
2fierce
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 獠

Simplified
15Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 獠

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AI Study Notes for 獠

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a fierce, torch-wielding hunter on the prowl at night. The left side of 獠 resembles a fierce animal (犭), while the right side (夭) can be seen as a torch lighting up the darkness. Together, they evoke the image of a daring night hunt.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 獠 with similar characters like 狼 (láng, wolf) or 猎 (liè, hunt), which refer more generally to animals or hunting. 獠 is less frequently used in everyday conversation, so it's more suitable for literary or historical contexts.

HSK Study Tips

While 獠 is not found in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance your grasp of related terms like 猎 (liè, hunt) and 狩猎 (shòu liè, hunting). Focus on the character's components to better remember its meaning and usage.

Cultural Note

The character 獠 connects to the historical practices of tribes that relied on night hunting as a vital means of survival. This reflects the traditional relationship between humans and the environment in ancient Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 獠 with other hunting-related terms, leading to sentences like '我喜欢獠' (wǒ xǐ huān liáo), which is incorrect because 獠 does not directly refer to liking or personal preferences. A better phrase would be '我喜欢狩猎' (wǒ xǐ huān shòu liè).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 獠

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Etymology of 獠

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Hunting with dogs 犭 and torches 尞; 尞 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 獠?

Decomposition of 獠

IDS Structure⿰犭尞
Full Character
=
quan3
left
liao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 獠?

Write 獠

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Cultural Notes for 獠

🏮Cultural insight

The character 獠 connects to the historical practices of tribes that relied on night hunting as a vital means of survival. This reflects the traditional relationship between humans and the environment in ancient Chinese culture.

Word Family of 獠

Words Containing This Character3
獠牙tusk
liáofierce
青面獠牙ferocious-looking (idiom)
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 獠牙 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 獠

In modern contexts, 獠 is not commonly used and may appear more often in literary texts or discussions about historical tribes.

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