About
The character 熊 combines the phonetic component 能, originally a pictograph for "bear", with the semantic fire radical 灬 (four dots) below it. Historically, 能 alone meant "bear", but it was often borrowed for its sound to express "ability". To distinguish the animal from this abstract concept, the fire radical was added, forming 熊, which first meant "blazing fire". Over time, a semantic shift occurred: 熊 came to denote the animal permanently, while 能 assumed the meaning of "ability". Thus, the fire radical in today's character for "bear" remains from its earlier use to describe intense flames.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
森林里有一只熊。
熊猫是中国的国宝。
那个熊孩子很调皮。
熊在冬天会冬眠。
我们去看熊表演吧。
股市最近进入了熊市。
虽然熊看起来很可爱，但它们是危险的动物。
为了保护熊的栖息地，政府建立了自然保护区。