两栖

• Pinyin: liǎng qī
• Hanzi breakdown: 两 = 一 + 从 (two — dual/pair); 栖 = 木 + 西 (to inhabit/perch — wood/tree with western phonetic, originally depicting a bird resting in a tree)

Meaning

Amphibious; operating in two domains or environments. Originally a biological term for animals living both in water and on land; extended to describe people or activities spanning two distinct fields.

Biological use: 两栖动物 (amphibian), 两栖作战 (amphibious operation). Extended use: 两栖明星 (a celebrity active in both film and music), 两栖演员 (an actor working in both TV and film). In military contexts: 两栖登陆 (amphibious landing), 两栖舰队 (amphibious fleet). The extended meaning is now widely established in modern Chinese.

Examples

1. 青蛙是典型的两栖动物，幼年在水中生活，成年后可在陆地活动。 Frogs are a typical amphibian: they live in water when young and can move on land as adults.
2. 军队正在演练复杂海况下的两栖登陆作战方案。 The military is rehearsing amphibious landing operations under complex sea conditions.
3. 她是一位两栖艺术家，在舞台剧和影视制作领域都取得了卓越成就。 She’s an artist with a foot in two worlds, achieving outstanding success in both theater and film-and-television production.

Usage Guide

Context: biology, military, entertainment, professional identity

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 两栖作战能力是现代海军综合战斗力的重要组成部分。(Amphibious combat capability is an important component of a modern navy's comprehensive combat power.)
• 他是难得的两栖人才，既能在学术领域深耕，又能在商界独当一面。(He is a rare dual-domain talent — he can both engage in in-depth academic work and hold his own in the business world.)

Don't Say

• 将'两栖'仅限于生物学语境 — 两栖在现代汉语中已广泛用于军事、娱乐和职业等领域，表示在两个不同领域均有活跃表现

Origin & History

两 (two) + 栖 (to inhabit/perch) — inhabiting or operating in two distinct environments

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal