How to Write 豺 (chái) — Meaning “Jackal”

Imagine a jackal (豸) that is 'talented' (才) at sneaking and hunting — the sound of 才 (cái) is similar to 'clever.' This connects the beast radical with the phonetic part, helping you recall that 豺 means a cunning wild dog.

Start with the left radical 豸: write the top dot, then three left-falling strokes (撇), and finish with a hook on the lower right. Then add the right side 才: a horizontal stroke, a vertical hook, and a left-falling stroke. Keep the left side slightly wider than the right, and avoid making the 才 too large.

豺 (jackal) has the right side 才, while 豹 (leopard) uses 勺 (a ladle shape) and 豻 (a wild dog) uses 干. Visually, remember that 才 is simpler and straighter than 勺, and 干 has a vertical line through a horizontal bar. In meaning, 豹 is a big cat, 豻 is rare and refers to a different canine.

豺 is not a common standalone character; it appears mainly in the word 豺狼 (chái láng), meaning 'jackals and wolves,' which is used metaphorically for cruel, greedy people. In Chinese culture, jackals symbolize cunning and viciousness, often appearing in idioms like 豺狼当道 (jackals and wolves block the road) to describe evil rulers or dangerous times.

Common words containing 豺 include: 豺狼 (chái láng) — Jackals and wolves; 豺狗 (chái gǒu) — Jackal / Wild dog; 豺声 (chái shēng) — Harsh voice (like a jackal).