龟 (guī) - turtle & tortoise

龟Tone 1

guī ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 龟

枫惠

龟 · guī

turtle;

tortoise;

a term for the turtle shell used in ancient divination.

turtletortoisea term for the turtle shell used in

Usage highlights

turtletortoisesea turtleturtle shelltortoise shellturtle dove

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 兔— rabbit (in the context of speed)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • A turtle crawled slowly on the beach (乌龟).
  • Ancient Chinese used turtle shells for divination (龟甲).
  • The tortoise is a symbol of longevity (长寿龟).
  • Sea turtles return to the same beach to lay eggs (海龟).

Collocations

  • turtle(乌龟)
  • tortoise(陆龟)
  • sea turtle(海龟)
  • turtle shell(龟壳)
  • tortoise shell(龟甲)
  • turtle dove(斑鸠)

Idioms

  • The tortoise and the hare(龟兔赛跑)
  • Turtle-shell divination(龟卜)
  • Turtle's longevity(龟龄鹤算)
  • Turtle hair and rabbit horns(龟毛兔角)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, the turtle is one of the four divine creatures and symbolizes longevity, wisdom, and endurance.
  • Turtle shells were used in ancient China for divination during the Shang dynasty, with inscriptions leading to oracle bone script.
  • The turtle appears in mythology carrying the world on its back and is associated with the north and the element of water.

FAQ