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貍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
貍lífox, wildcatx, 14 strokes, radical 豸
lí(li2) T2
  1. 1fox, wildcat
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

貍lí(li2)

The character 貍 (lí) primarily refers to a 'fox' or 'wildcat.' It is often used in contexts relating to animals and can imply cunning or sly behavior, akin to the characteristics traditionally associated with foxes in literature and folklore.

Strokes14Radical豸
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, foxes are often seen as clever and sometimes deceptive creatures, appearing in many folktales and stories. The character 貍 may evoke these cultural associations of cunningness in both animals and people.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sly fox (the meaning of 貍) wearing a fancy 'li'ttle coat. The left side of the character, the radical for 'animal' (犭), signifies it's related to animals, while the right side suggests its unique attributes, helping you remember both the form and pronunciation.

Meanings of 貍

lí(li2)
1fox, wildcat
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 貍

貍Simplified
14Strokes
豸Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 貍

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Podcast: 貍

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AI Study Notes for 貍

Quick Contrast

狐狸 (húlí, fox) vs 野猫 (yěmāo, wildcat) — use 貍 when emphasizing cunning or slyness, while 狐狸 is more specific to foxes and 野猫 refers to wildcats.

Usage Notes

When using 貍, be careful not to confuse it with related characters like 狐 (hú), which means 'fox' in a broader sense. This term is more specific and can come off as informal in certain contexts, so be aware of your audience when using it.

HSK Study Tips

Although 貍 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to other animal-related words at HSK Level 1, such as 猫 (māo) for 'cat' and 狗 (gǒu) for 'dog.' Focus on recognizing animal characters to enhance your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 貍 with similar-sounding characters, leading to mistakes like saying 'hú' instead of 'lí' when referring to a fox. Always remember that 貍 has a specific meaning and pronunciation that differs from related terms.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 貍

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Etymology of 貍

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 里 represents the sound. Simplified form of 貍.

Memory Hint

animal

Semantic (meaning)豸
+
Phonetic (sound)里
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 貍

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 里 represents the sound. Simplified form of 貍.

  1. 1The meaning half豸 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half里 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayanimal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 貍? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 貍?

Decomposition of 貍

IDS Structure⿰豸里
貍Full Character
=
豸zhi4
left
里li3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 貍?

How to say fox, wildcat in Chinese

“fox, wildcat” in Chinese is貍lí

The character 貍 (lí) primarily refers to a 'fox' or 'wildcat.' It is often used in contexts relating to animals and can imply cunning or sly behavior, akin to the characteristics traditionally associated with foxes in literature and folklore.

When to use 貍

When using 貍, be careful not to confuse it with related characters like 狐 (hú), which means 'fox' in a broader sense. This term is more specific and can come off as informal in certain contexts, so be aware of your audience when using it.

貍 or something close to it

狐狸 (húlí, fox) vs 野猫 (yěmāo, wildcat) — use 貍 when emphasizing cunning or slyness, while 狐狸 is more specific to foxes and 野猫 refers to wildcats.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 貍 with similar-sounding characters, leading to mistakes like saying 'hú' instead of 'lí' when referring to a fox. Always remember that 貍 has a specific meaning and pronunciation that differs from related terms.

Write 貍

貍

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 貍

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, foxes are frequently depicted as clever but can also represent mischief, similar to their portrayal in Chinese culture, but the nuances often differ in how these traits are perceived.

Word Family of 貍

Words Containing This Character12
狐狸fox
海狸beaver
狸líraccoon dog
狐狸精fox-spirit
老狐狸old fox
狸猫leopard cat狸貓
狐狸尾巴to reveal one's evil nature
果子狸masked palm civet (Paguma larvata)
河狸beaver
海狸鼠coypu
狸子leopard cat
狐狸座Vulpecula (constellation)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 狐狸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 貍

While both refer to foxes, 貍 specifically refers to a wildcat or a particular type of fox, whereas 狐 is a more general term for fox.

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