狈

狽

bèi

noun

Meanings

1 (a legendary wolf-like beast with very short forelegs)

Examples

他狼狈地逃走了。

Tā lángbèi de táo zǒu le.

He fled in a sorry, panic-stricken state.

他们俩狼狈为奸。

Tāmen liǎ lángbèiwéijiān.

The two of them work hand in glove to do evil.

Tips

culture

狈 is a legendary beast said to have such short front legs that it must ride on a wolf to move. This is the origin of 狼狈 ('wolf and bei', meaning in a sorry plight) and 狼狈为奸 (to collude in wrongdoing). It does not appear outside these words.

Components

radical

犭 quǎn

dog; beast

The dog/beast radical in left-side form. It marks 狈 as an animal, fitting since it names a legendary wolf-like creature.

phonetic

贝 bèi

shell; cowrie; money

Supplies the sound directly: 贝 bèi gives 狈 its exact reading bèi. Its 'shell, money' meaning plays no role here; it is purely phonetic.

Stroke Order

狈 bèi

狈

Meanings

Examples

Tips

Components

Stroke Order

Related Words