In Chinese culture, the turtle symbolizes longevity and wisdom. However, 龟 also has vulgar slang uses — 乌龟 (wūguī) can imply a cuckold (龟公), and 缩头乌龟 means a coward who hides. Context matters greatly.
history
龟 is one of the most ancient Chinese characters. Oracle bone inscriptions were carved on turtle shells (龟甲, guījiǎ) — the earliest form of Chinese writing, over 3,000 years old.
