[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Natural-World \ #Animals # 狼 láng wolf ## Components [[良 liáng]] [[犭 (quǎn)]] ## Meaning Today, the character "狼" primarily means: 1. **Wolf**: It refers to the animal itself, specifically a wolf, which is recognized as a member of the canine family. 2. **Metaphorical Use**: "狼" can be used to describe someone with a fierce or aggressive nature, often implying that the person is cunning or dangerous. 3. **Idiomatically**: The character can appear in phrases or idioms to signify treachery or malice, reflecting its historical connotation of a predator. Overall, "狼" is associated with both the literal animal and figurative meanings related to aggression or cunning behavior. ## History In the past, wolves and humans had a relationship of conflict and coexistence; however, today, wolves no longer pose a threat to human survival. The character "狼" is a phonetic-semantic compound. According to *Shuowen Jiezi*, it describes a creature similar to a dog, characterized by a sharp head, white cheeks, and a broad rear. In oracle bone script, the left side of "狼" features the character "良," indicating its pronunciation, while the right side depicts the shape of a wolf. In small seal script, the left component transformed into "犬," which means "dog." Given the fierce nature of wolves, the term "狼" is also used metaphorically to describe aggressive people or animals. For instance, the phrase "引狼人室" refers to bringing in bad or harmful individuals. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[狼 láng ora.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[狼 bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[狼 sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ？ ### Regular Script ![[狼 reg.svg]]