彘

zhì

匕 + 彑 + 矢

Definitions

zhì swine

Etymology

Depicts a pig or a wild boar being shot by an arrow (矢). Wild boars were common targets for hunting. 矢 also represents the sound.

Semantic: 彑 Phonetic: 矢

About

彘 is a classical noun for swine or pig. It combines the pig's head or snout (彑) with an arrow (矢), depicting a wild boar shot while hunting, a common practice, and the arrow also suggests the character's pronunciation. In ancient texts, 彘 was the standard term for pigs, appearing in agricultural, sacrificial, and philosophical contexts, most famously in the story of Zengzi slaughtering a pig to teach his child honesty. Over time, the vernacular 猪 replaced it, leaving 彘 as a formal, literary archaism.