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豻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
豻ànprison, jail; a wild dogx, 10 strokes, radical 豸
豻àn(canine)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 豸
豻hànprison, jail; a wild dogx, 10 strokes, radical 豸
豻hàn(canine)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 豸
àn(an4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1prison, jail; a wild dog
  2. 2(canine)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

豻àn(an4)

The character 豻 (àn) primarily refers to a prison or jail, representing a place where individuals are detained. It can also denote a wild dog or canine, emphasizing its connection to animals. This word is less commonly used in everyday conversation but can be found in literary or formal contexts related to law or wildlife.

Strokes10Radical豸
Cultural Note

In ancient China, prisons were often seen as a reflection of societal structure and moral standing, making the concept of 豻 significant in discussions about justice and reform. This character can be linked to historical narratives surrounding law and order.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wild dog (the canine) barking at the prison gates, symbolizing the detention of a wild spirit. The character 豻 is composed of the radical 豕 (shǐ), related to animals, and represents the essence of being caught or confined, just like a wild dog in a cage.

Meanings of 豻

àn(an4)
primary
1prison, jail; a wild dog
2(canine)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 豻

豻Simplified
10Strokes
豸Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 豻

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Podcast: 豻

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AI Study Notes for 豻

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 豻 with similar characters that denote different animals or places. It is more formal and rarely used in casual conversation. Be cautious with the tone; the pronunciation is àn, and mispronouncing it can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 豻 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can enrich vocabulary for HSK 4-5 learners who are exploring more complex characters. Students should focus on the context in which this word appears in literature or legal texts.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 豻 with the character 犬 (quǎn), which means dog in a more general sense. For example, saying '我在豻' (I am in the dog) instead of '我在犬' (I am with a dog) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 豻

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Etymology of 豻

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

beast

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 豻

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

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

Want the full history of 豻? 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 豻?

Decomposition of 豻

IDS Structure⿰豸干
豻Full Character
=
豸zhi4
left
干gan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 豻?

How to say prison, jail; a wild dog in Chinese

“prison, jail; a wild dog” in Chinese is豻àn

The character 豻 (àn) primarily refers to a prison or jail, representing a place where individuals are detained. It can also denote a wild dog or canine, emphasizing its connection to animals. This word is less commonly used in everyday conversation but can be found in literary or formal contexts related to law or wildlife.

When to use 豻

Learners often confuse 豻 with similar characters that denote different animals or places. It is more formal and rarely used in casual conversation. Be cautious with the tone; the pronunciation is àn, and mispronouncing it can lead to misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 豻 with the character 犬 (quǎn), which means dog in a more general sense. For example, saying '我在豻' (I am in the dog) instead of '我在犬' (I am with a dog) is incorrect.

Write 豻

豻

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 豻

The primary meaning of 豻 is prison or jail.

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