狼
láng/lɑŋ³⁵/
The English word "wolf" is translated into Mandarin as 狼 (láng).
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 狼 | láng | /lɑŋ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /naŋ²¹/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 狼 | lông | /lɔŋ²¹³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Zhangpu, Changtai, Klang, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese, Yongchun) /lɔŋ¹³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Zhangpu, Changtai, Klang, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese, Yongchun) |
Hokkien |
The term refers to the animal known as a wolf.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form лон is used in Dungan. The forms мулон and лонвазы are also used in Dungan. In Hokkien, the word is written as 狼.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is lông.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'wolf' to describe a predatory nature, Mandarin often uses the phrase 狼性, meaning 'wolf spirit', to describe someone who is highly competitive and driven in business.
- While 狼 refers to the wolf, the term 狼狈 originally described two animals acting together but is now used as a common adjective meaning 'in a wretched state'.
- In Mandarin, the term 狼 is used in the phrase 狼心狗肺, which literally means 'wolf heart and dog lungs' to describe someone who is completely heartless and cruel.
Examples in context
- 狼靠腿吃飯。A wolf is fed by its legs.Tatoeba #13523745 by LeviHighway, translation #12634572 by mollydot
- 雅妮像中了圈套的狼一样惊慌Yanni panicked like a wolf in a snare.This sentence shows 狼 being used in a simile.Tatoeba #12615413 by Enzo, translation #9337430 by Amastan
- 汤姆把他的狗认成狼了，所以把它毙了。Tom shot his own dog, thinking it was a wolf.This sentence illustrates 狼 being used to describe a mistaken identity.Tatoeba #13899554 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #8416545 by CK
- 那只狼很凶猛。That wolf is very fierce.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Jia Yi are watching a nature documentary on TV.
- 伟 Wei那是一只狼。Nà shì yī zhǐ láng.That is a wolf.
- 佳怡 Jiayi它看起来很凶。Tā kàn qǐlái hěn xiōng.It looks very fierce.
- 伟 Wei狼的眼神很可怕。Láng de yǎnshén hěn kěpà.The wolf's eyes are scary.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我不喜欢狼。Wǒ bù xǐhuān láng.I don't like wolves.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wolf” translations and entries 狼, 狼, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
