How to Write 狰 (zhēng) — Meaning “ferocious”

Imagine a wild dog (犭) fighting (争) with another animal — both look scary and ferocious. The '争' part looks like two claws fighting, which helps you recall the fierce meaning of 狰.

Write the left radical 犭 first — three strokes: a short diagonal, a curve hook, and a left-falling stroke. Then write the right side 争, making sure the top '⺈' is narrow and the vertical stroke in the middle is straight. A common mistake is making the 犭 too wide, so keep it compact.

Whereas 状 (zhuàng, 'shape' or 'form') uses the radical 丬 and relates to appearance or written forms, 狰 always describes a frightening or vicious quality. 犹 (yóu, 'still' or 'as if') also uses 犭 but has a different right side 尤, and it does not carry the sense of ferocity.

狰 is almost always used in the compound word 狰狞 (zhēng níng), meaning 'hideous' or 'ferocious', often describing a terrifying face or expression. You might see it in horror stories or descriptions of villains; for example, 狰狞面目 means 'a ferocious appearance'.

Common words containing 狰 include: 狰狞 (zhēng níng) — hideous / ferocious; 狰狞可怖 (zhēng níng kě bù) — hideous and terrifying; 狰狞面目 (zhēng níng miàn mù) — ferocious appearance.