骟 (shàn) - To castrate (an animal) & to geld

骟Tone 4

shàn ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

善上

骟 · shàn

To castrate (an animal);

to geld;

to neuter.

To castrate (an animal)to geldto neuter.

Usage highlights

Castrated horseGelded rooster/caponCastrated pigCastrated oxCastrated sheepCastration knife

Synonyms

  • 阉— To castrate (more general term)
  • 劁— To castrate (specifically pigs)

Antonyms

  • 种— Breeding (animal kept for reproduction)
  • 公— Male (intact)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The farmer castrated the horse (骟马).
  • Gelded roosters are called capons (骟鸡).
  • Castrated pigs grow faster (骟猪).
  • The veterinarian specializes in animal neutering (骟动物).

Collocations

  • Castrated horse(骟马)
  • Gelded rooster/capon(骟鸡)
  • Castrated pig(骟猪)
  • Castrated ox(骟牛)
  • Castrated sheep(骟羊)
  • Castration knife(骟刀)

Idioms

  • To castrate a horse and slaughter a donkey(骟马宰驴)
  • Castrating pigs and gelding dogs(骟猪骟狗)
  • A castrated horse cannot sire(骟马不生驹)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically practiced in animal husbandry to control breeding and improve meat quality.
  • The character combines 'horse' (马) radical with 'to deceive/falsify' (扇), suggesting alteration of natural state.
  • Considered a specialized but low-status occupation in traditional society.

FAQ