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猙 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
zhēngfierce-looking, ferociousx, 11 strokes, radical 犭, Very Hard
zhēng(zheng1) T1
  1. 1fierce-looking, ferocious
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
zhēng(zheng1)

The character 猙 (zhēng) conveys the meaning of something that is fierce-looking or ferocious, often describing animals or people that appear intimidating. It's commonly used in literary contexts to evoke a sense of danger or strength.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese folklore, fierce animals often symbolize strength and protection, making the word 猙 relevant in stories about guardians or warriors.

Memory Tip

Imagine a fierce tiger (the radical 猫, representing animals) with sharp teeth, glaring at you. The sound 'zhēng' can be remembered as the growl of this fierce beast, making it hard to forget its ferocity.

Meanings of 猙

zhēng(zheng1)
1fierce-looking, ferocious
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 猙

Simplified
11Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 猙

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 猙

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a fierce tiger (the radical 猫, representing animals) with sharp teeth, glaring at you. The sound 'zhēng' can be remembered as the growl of this fierce beast, making it hard to forget its ferocity.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 猙 with similar-looking characters like 猩 (xīng), which means orangutan. This character is generally used in a more literary or dramatic context rather than everyday conversation.

HSK Study Tips

Though 猙 is not an HSK level word, understanding it can enrich your vocabulary. Focus on how it connects with other animal-related characters, such as 狼 (láng, wolf) and 猫 (māo, cat), to build thematic knowledge.

Cultural Note

In Chinese folklore, fierce animals often symbolize strength and protection, making the word 猙 relevant in stories about guardians or warriors.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 猙 with similar characters due to its unique pronunciation and structure. For example, mistakenly using 猩 (xīng) instead of 猙 (zhēng) when describing something fierce in writing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 猙

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Etymology of 猙

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

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 争 represents the sound. Simplified form of 猙.

Memory Hint

dog

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 猙?

Decomposition of 猙

IDS Structure⿰犭爭
Full Character
=
quan3
left
zheng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 猙?

Write 猙

Practice writing 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 猙

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese folklore, fierce animals often symbolize strength and protection, making the word 猙 relevant in stories about guardians or warriors.

Word Family of 猙

Words Containing This Character2
狰狞malevolent猙獰
zhēnghideous
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 狰狞 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 猙

The pronunciation is zhēng, with a high level tone.