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The character 獒, meaning a large and fierce dog, is structured with the dog radical 犭 and the phonetic component 敖, reflecting a phono-semantic construction where the radical indicates the canine category and 敖 supplies the sound. Historically, the term was used in classical texts to describe powerful dogs employed for hunting or protection, and its meaning later narrowed to denote specific breeds known for their size and strength, such as the Tibetan Mastiff. The character's form in standard writing comprises these two components.
Etymology Hide
