狼

• Pinyin: láng
• Hanzi breakdown: 狼 = 犭(dog) + 良 (good, phonetic) — wolf

Meaning

Wolf. A wild carnivorous mammal that lives and hunts in packs.

Rich in cultural symbolism. Can represent greed, cruelty, or cunning, but also teamwork and resilience. Common in idioms like 狼吞虎咽 (devour ravenously) and 狼心狗肺 (ungrateful).

Examples

1. 动物园新引进了一群北极狼。 The zoo has newly introduced a pack of Arctic wolves.
2. 狼是群居动物，善于团队合作。 Wolves are social animals that are good at teamwork.
3. 那个人的眼神像狼一样凶狠。 That person's gaze is as fierce as a wolf's.

Usage Guide

Context: animals, metaphors, idioms

Tone: varied

Do Say

• 狼来了的故事大家都知道。(Everyone knows the story of the boy who cried wolf.)
• 他像一匹孤狼。(He's like a lone wolf.)

Don't Say

• 用狼形容温顺善良的人。(狼 has aggressive/cunning connotations — don't use for gentle people)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic character. 犭(dog radical) indicates animal; 良 (good, phonetic) provides the sound.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal