犬

quǎn

HSK 2.0Level 6

Definitions

quǎn (noun) dog

Etymology

Pictograph of a dog.

About

The character 犬 is a pictograph of a dog shown in profile, its strokes outlining the head, legs, and tail. It serves as the formal term for canine, contrasting with the more colloquial 狗, and appears predominantly in scientific, legal, and other formal writing. 犬 is also a highly productive radical, usually written as 犭 on the left side, and it classifies a wide range of mammals and hunting animals.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我有一只宠物犬。

Wǒ yǒu yī zhǐ chǒngwù quǎn.

I have a pet dog.

这只犬很可爱。

Zhè zhǐ quǎn hěn kě'ài.

This dog is very cute.

那只犬在院子里玩耍。

Nà zhǐ quǎn zài yuànzi lǐ wánshuǎ.

That dog is playing in the yard.

警犬非常勇敢。

Jǐngquǎn fēicháng yǒnggǎn.

Police dogs are very brave.

我喜欢和犬一起散步。

Wǒ xǐhuān hé quǎn yīqǐ sànbù.

I like to take walks with dogs.

这只导盲犬帮助盲人。

Zhè zhǐ dǎomángquǎn bāngzhù mángrén.

This guide dog helps blind people.

犬虽然有时吵闹，但很忠诚。

Quǎn suīrán yǒushí chǎonào, dàn hěn zhōngchéng.

Although dogs can be noisy sometimes, they are very loyal.

训练有素的犬能执行多种任务。

Xùnliàn yǒu sù de quǎn néng zhíxíng duō zhǒng rènwù.

Well-trained dogs can perform various tasks.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 犬

Example Words