活化石

huóhuàshí

noun #64,491

Measure Word

一种活化石 zhǒng

Meanings

1 living fossil
2 an ancient species that survives little-changed to the present

Characters

Examples

HSK 7-9

银杏树被誉为植物界的活化石。

Yínxìng shù bèi yùwéi zhíwùjiè de huóhuàshí.

The ginkgo tree is hailed as a living fossil of the plant kingdom.

HSK 7-9

大熊猫和中华鲟都是活化石。

Dàxióngmāo hé Zhōnghuá xún dōu shì huóhuàshí.

The giant panda and the Chinese sturgeon are both living fossils.

Tips

usage

Often used metaphorically as well - for traditions, languages, or institutions that have survived nearly unchanged from ancient times. The species pairing 活 'living' + 化石 'fossil' is paradoxical on purpose: something that should only exist as a fossil is somehow still alive.

memory

Same construction as English: 'living + fossil.' Useful trio: 银杏 (ginkgo), 大熊猫 (panda), 中华鲟 (Chinese sturgeon) - China's three most-cited 活化石.

Stroke Order

活 huó

化 huà

石 shí