恐龙

• Pinyin: kǒng lóng
• Hanzi breakdown: 恐 = terrifying; 龙 = dragon (pictograph)

Meaning

Dinosaur. Prehistoric reptiles that dominated the Earth millions of years ago.

A common vocabulary word for children and science enthusiasts. Also used as internet slang to describe an unattractive person (offensive usage, primarily targeting women). The scientific usage remains the primary meaning.

Examples

1. 博物馆里展出了许多恐龙化石。 The museum displays many dinosaur fossils.
2. 恐龙在六千五百万年前灭绝了。 Dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago.
3. 这部关于恐龙的纪录片非常精彩。 This documentary about dinosaurs is excellent.

Usage Guide

Context: science, education, entertainment

Tone: informative

Do Say

• 孩子们都喜欢恐龙。(Children all love dinosaurs.)
• 霸王龙是最有名的恐龙之一。(T-Rex is one of the most famous dinosaurs.)

Don't Say

• 用'恐龙'形容人的外貌。(The slang usage describing people as 'dinosaurs' is offensive and should be avoided)

Origin & History

Compound of 恐 (terrifying) + 龙 (dragon). Coined as a translation of 'dinosaur' meaning 'terrible lizard.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal