兽 (shòu) - beast, animal & wild, savage

兽Tone 4

shòu ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

兽 · shòu

beast, animal;

wild, savage;

brutal, ferocious

beast, animalwild, savagebrutal, ferocious

Usage highlights

wild beastanimal natureveterinariananimal husbandryprehistoric animaldomestic animal

Synonyms

  • 兽类— animals, beasts (category)
  • 野兽— wild beast
  • 动物— animal (more general term)

Antonyms

  • 人— human (as opposed to beast)
  • 禽— bird (feathered creature vs. furry beast)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The lion is a wild beast (野兽).
  • He has a ferocious temper (兽性).
  • Ancient people hunted wild animals (兽类).
  • The veterinarian treats domestic animals (家兽).

Collocations

  • wild beast(野兽)
  • animal nature(兽性)
  • veterinarian(兽医)
  • animal husbandry(畜牧业)
  • prehistoric animal(史前兽)
  • domestic animal(家兽)

Idioms

  • Like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow-string(惊弓之鸟，漏网之兽)
  • Feathered creature and furry beast(飞禽走兽)
  • Beastly behavior(人面兽心)
  • Hungry tiger pouncing on its prey(饿虎扑食，饥兽争食)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese mythology, 兽 often refers to mythical creatures and beasts with symbolic meanings.
  • The character appears in classical texts describing both real animals and legendary monsters.
  • In traditional Chinese thought, 兽 represents the untamed, primal aspect of nature.

FAQ