猝

cù

卒 + 犭

Definitions

cù abruptly; suddenly; unexpectedly

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 卒 represents the sound.

Semantic: 犭 Phonetic: 卒

About

猝 is a phono-semantic compound combining the animal radical 犭 on the left with the phonetic element 卒 on the right. The radical 犭 links the character to dogs, beasts, or wild creatures and their unpredictable behavior. The component 卒 provides the sound while also historically connoting an end or conclusion. In its earliest usage, the character depicted a dog's sudden, startling dash or attack, a specific scene of abrupt action. Over time, this meaning broadened, and today 猝 is used almost exclusively to describe any event or action that occurs in a highly sudden, unexpected, or abrupt manner.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他猝死在家中。

Tā cùsǐ zài jiā zhōng.

He died suddenly at home.

他的去世非常猝然。

Tā de qùshì fēicháng cùrán.

His death was very sudden.

猝死的事件时有发生。

Cùsǐ de shìjiàn shí yǒu fāshēng.

Sudden death incidents occur from time to time.

她听到消息后猝然晕倒。

Tā tīng dào xiāoxi hòu cùrán yūndǎo.

She suddenly fainted after hearing the news.

我们必须预防猝发疾病。

Wǒmen bìxū yùfáng cùfā jíbìng.

We must prevent sudden illnesses.

猝变的天气影响了出行。

Cùbiàn de tiānqì yǐngxiǎng le chūxíng.

The sudden change in weather affected travel.

他的猝逝让家人悲痛。

Tā de cùshì ràng jiārén bēitòng.

His sudden death made his family grieve.

猝发的火灾造成了损失。

Cùfā de huǒzāi zàochéng le sǔnshī.

The sudden fire caused losses.

Related Characters

Component: 卒

Component: 犭

猝