Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 野生 | yěshēng |
| 野 | yě |
The term is used to describe organisms that are not domesticated or tamed. While 野生 is the standard term for biological or formal descriptions, the single character 野 often acts as a modifier for plants or animals in more general, descriptive or colloquial contexts to indicate they are uncultivated, such as in 野狗 (wild dog).
Which one should you use?
野生 is the standard adjective used in scientific or formal biological contexts. In contrast, the single character 野 is frequently used as a prefix or modifier for specific animals or plants in everyday speech. If you want to refer to 'the wild' as a noun meaning the outdoor environment, you should use the term 野外 instead.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the colloquial expression 好wild is used to mean 'wild'.
How do you pronounce it?
yěshēng
Did you know?
- In Hong Kong and Guangdong, speakers blend English and Cantonese by saying 好wild to describe someone who is daring or out of control.
- In a slang context, 野 can be used to describe a person who is arrogant, aggressive or 'wild' in their behavior.
- Some linguists suggest 野 may be related to the Tibetan word la, meaning 'mountain pass' or 'hillside'.
Examples in context
- 小心那野狗！Look out for the wild dog!This sentence shows how to use the single character 野 to describe a dog.Tatoeba #1785877 by sadhen, translation #18962 by Zifre
- 该国严禁进口稀有野生动物。The importation of rare wild animals to this country is strictly prohibited.This sentence demonstrates the use of 野生 in a formal context regarding animals.Tatoeba #2027987 by ydcok, translation #20611 by CK
- 我怕野兽。I'm scared of wild animals.This sentence uses the character 野 to describe animals in a general sense.Tatoeba #4265179 by notabene, translation #1123478 by CK
- 野生动物Wild animals
- 野生植物Wild plants
- 疯狂派对Wild party
- 疯狂冒险Wild adventure
- 狂野生活Wild lifestyle
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are hiking in a forest.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你看，那里有野生的蘑菇。Nǐ kàn, nàlǐ yǒu yěshēng de mógu mushrooms.Look, there are wild mushrooms over there.
- 浩然 Haoran千万不要吃，可能有毒。Qiānwàn bùyào chī, kěnéng yǒudú.Definitely don't eat them, they might be poisonous.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你太小心了，浩然。Nǐ tài xiǎoxīn le, Hàorán.You are too cautious, Haoran.
- 浩然 Haoran野生的东西不能随便碰。Yěshēng de dōngxī bùnéng suíbiàn pèng.You can't just touch wild things randomly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wild” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 野, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
