狡

A phono-semantic compound composed of:

犬 (dog; beast) — semantic component, indicates animal instinct or behavior viewed as morally suspect or uncontrolled;

交 (to mix; to associate; to cross) — phonetic component, supplies the sound "gyo" and suggests interaction, maneuvering, or entanglement.

The structure conveys the idea of animal-like cleverness used through interaction and manipulation, forming the basis of the meaning “cunning.”

Core compounds:

교활 (狡猾) — cunning; sly

간교 (奸狡) — treacherous and crafty

狡 refers to cleverness used for self-serving or deceptive purposes.

Unlike neutral intelligence, it implies:

- calculation

- trickery

- moral ambiguity or negativity

It evaluates character, not merely a single deceptive act.

狡 focuses on tactical cleverness rather than brute deception.

Often paired with 猾, where:

狡 — emphasizes scheming cleverness

猾 — emphasizes sly, slippery behavior

Both contrast with:

智 — wisdom (neutral / positive)

慧 — insight

Related characters:

猾 — sly; crafty (behavioral emphasis)

奸 — treacherous; wicked

詐 — deception; fraud

偽 — false; fake

智 — wisdom (contrast)

Among these, 狡 most clearly expresses calculated cleverness used for manipulation, rather than raw deceit or moral corruption.

The animal radical reinforces the view of such cleverness as instinct-driven rather than ethically guided.

Classical texts frequently use 狡 to describe political schemers, rebels, or manipulative advisers.

Classical citations:

《左傳》 (Zuo Zhuan)

「狡者多計」

“The cunning are full of schemes”

《史記》 (Records of the Grand Historian)

「其人狡而多詐」

“That man was cunning and full of deceit”