獸群 / 兽群
shòuqún
The English word 'herd' is translated into Chinese as 獸群 / 兽群 (shòuqún). If unsure, use 獸群 / 兽群. Wiktionary also lists 群 (qún).
Meaning: any collection of animals gathered or travelling in a company (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 獸群 / 兽群 | shòuqún |
| 群 | qún |
The term refers to any collection of animals gathered or travelling in a company.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 獸群 / 兽群 is composed of 獸 (shòu), meaning 'animal' or 'beast' and 群 (qún), meaning 'group' or 'crowd'.
Which one should you use?
獸群 / 兽群 is a formal noun for a herd of animals. In contrast, 群 is a more versatile term used both as a noun for 'group' and as a measure word.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term 群 can function as a classifier (measure word) for groups of animals, such as 一群羊 (a herd/flock of sheep).
How do you pronounce it?
shòuqún
Did you know?
- In modern digital life, 群 is the standard word for a 'group chat' on apps like WeChat. It has evolved from describing a herd of animals to describing a digital community of people.
- The character 群 contains the radical for 'sheep' (羊) because ancient people often conceptualized a 'group' or 'crowd' based on watching flocks of sheep together.
- In Chinese, the word 群 can be used to describe a 'herd' of people in a derogatory way, implying a mindless crowd or a mob following a leader.
Examples in context
- 新生小牛跟不上逃离美洲虎的牛群。The newborn calf couldn't catch up with the herd running from the jaguar.This sentence uses 群 to describe a herd of cattle.Tatoeba #13104188 by maina, translation #3527120 by VilhelmsPort
- 我們在敵後集結區伏擊了他們數百台新型 J-37 機器人，並透過派出一群攜帶炸藥的綿羊穿過他們的營地，將它們全部摧毀。We ambushed several hundred of their new J-37 robots behind enemy lines in a staging area and we destroyed them all by sending a herd of explosive laden sheep through their encampment.This sentence uses 群 to describe a herd of sheep.Tatoeba #13575534 by LeviHighway, translation #6466836 by Eccles17
- 雖然公山羊羔經常因為無法產奶而被淘汰，但有時牠們會被閹割，並作為「閹羊」留在羊群中。這種脖子上掛著鈴鐺的「領頭羊」通常是羊群的領袖。Although the male goat kids are often culled because they will never produce milk, they are sometimes castrated instead and allowed to remain in the herd as a "wether". With a bell around its neck, such a "bellwether" is usually the leader for the rest of the herd.This sentence uses 群 to describe a herd of goats.Tatoeba #13544338 by LeviHighway, translation #10614282 by sangelo
Sources
- Wiktionary, “herd” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 群, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
