About
猿 is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic component 犭 (quǎn), the animal radical, classifies it among beasts, while the phonetic component 袁 (yuán) , originally meaning long robes , provides its pronunciation. This combination specifically denotes apes or monkeys. The character has consistently referred to primates, particularly larger, tailless apes like gibbons, which are prominent in classical Chinese poetry and folklore. Its structure is a standard example of the semantic-phonetic system used to create specific nouns.
Example Sentences Hide
那只猿很可爱。
猿在森林里生活。
猿人会使用工具。
科学家研究猿的行为。
猿猴的种类有很多。
这只猿学会了打开箱子。
猿类与人类有共同的祖先。
通过观察猿，我们可以了解早期人类的进化。