[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Society-and-Culture \ #Character-Traits # 凶 xiōng fierce; violent ## Components [[乂 yì]] [[凵 (kǎn)]] ## Meaning In modern Chinese, the character 凶 (xiōng) primarily means "fierce," "violent," or "ominous." It is often used to describe aggressive behavior or a dangerous situation. For example, 凶猛 (xiōngměng) means "ferocious," while 凶险 (xiōngxiǎn) means "dangerous" or "perilous." The character can also refer to bad luck or misfortune, particularly in contexts related to omens or forecasts. Overall, 凶 conveys a sense of threat or negativity in various contexts. ## History The character 凶 (xiōng) originally means "unlucky" and is a pictographic character. The outer shape of the character resembles a "mountain," and its ancient form looks like a trap, suggesting danger. The concept of a trap implies that it can ensnare someone, which conveys the idea of being perilous. Over time, the meaning of 凶 extended to denote anything bad or evil, as seen in phrases like 凶相 (xiōngxiàng), meaning "evil appearance," and 凶恶 (xiōng'è), meaning "fierce" or "cruel." Additionally, in ancient times, a poor harvest was referred to as 凶年饥岁 (xiōngnián jīsùi), meaning "a year of famine due to bad harvests." The character also encompasses meanings related to violence or harm, as in 行凶 (xíngxiōng), which means "to commit a violent act." ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[凶 ora.svg]] ### Bronze Script ？ ### Seal Script ![[凶 sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[凶 cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[凶 reg.svg]]