About
The character "猡" was formed in comparatively recent linguistic history to represent the syllable "luó" primarily within colloquial expressions like "猪猡" for pig. Its simplified construction pairs the canine radical 犭 with the phonetic element 罗, while the traditional form "玀" substitutes the beast radical 豸 but retains the same phonetic component. Initially utilized in dialectal contexts, the character also appeared in the term "猡猡" to denote the Yi people, though that application has largely faded. The meaning of "猡" has remained tied to these few lexical items, without evolving beyond its role in these specific compounds.