Chinese word

龟

Pronunciation

Pinyinguī

Meaning

  • nounturtle

Example

这只龟很慢，但很可爱。zhè zhǐ guī hěn màn dàn hěn kě ài

This turtle is very slow, but very cute.

Illustration for 龟 (turtle)

More examples

陆龟在草地上慢慢爬行。lù guī zài cǎo dì shàng màn màn pá xíng

The land tortoise is slowly crawling on the grass.

Core concept

A slow-moving reptile uses a portable shell as both its visible covering and its place of safety.

Common phrases

  • 乌龟wū guī

    turtle

  • 陆龟lù guī

    land tortoise

  • 龟壳guī ké

    turtle shell

Similar words

乌龟wū guī: A small rounded-shell turtle often kept at home as a pet.
陆龟lù guī: A land turtle with solid legs built for moving across the ground.
海龟hǎi guī: A marine turtle adapted for swimming and long journeys across the sea.

Definition in Chinese

一种有硬壳、能把头和四肢缩回壳内的爬行动物，生活在陆地或水域，行动通常较为缓慢。yì zhǒng yǒu yìng ké néng bǎ tóu hé sì zhī suō huí ké nèi de pá xíng dòng wù shēng huó zài lù dì huò shuǐ yù xíng dòng tōng cháng jiào wéi huǎn màn

Word origin

The character began as an ancient drawing of a turtle with its shell, head, and feet, and its modern simplified form still names the same animal.

Usage tips

  • The first tone in guī is high and level, which helps distinguish it from guǐ, the third-tone syllable found in words related to ghosts.

Related words

  • 龟缩guī suōretreat into one's shellverb
  • 龟速guī sùextremely slowadjective
  • 龟甲guī jiǎtortoise shellnoun

Word lists with this word