獸

Pictographic–ideographic compound consisting of:

嘼 (축) — depicting a mouth and tools used for hunting (early form showing traps or hunting implements)

犬 (견) — a dog, representing animals or the act of hunting

Together, these conveyed “catching beasts using a hunting device and dog.” Thus the earliest meaning was “to hunt a beast with tools.”

Over time, the meaning shifted from the act of hunting to the hunted creature, wild animals in general.

Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):

「獸，走獸也。从嘼，犬。」

“獸 means the running beasts. Formed from 嘼 and 犬.”

“走獸” is the classical zoological term for quadrupeds, contrasted with 飛鳥 (birds).

Semantic development:

Original meaning — hunting animals, depicting how beasts were caught.

Wild animal — general term in texts, esp. quadrupeds.

Ferocious creature / monster — later extended to mythical beasts.

Figurative moral use — to describe someone as uncivilized, violent, or brutish. Contrasted with 禽 (birds), 禽獸 (birds-and-beasts) symbolizing lower nature of humanity

Zoological classification — used in ancient taxonomy: 禽 (winged animals) vs. 走獸 (quadrupeds).

In Korean, 獸(수) is used mainly in literary, zoological, and metaphorical contexts referring to wild animals, beasts, or brutish traits.

Zoological / animal-related:

野獸 (야수) — 들짐승; wild beast

猛獸 (맹수) — 사나운 짐승; ferocious beast

禽獸 (금수) — 날짐승과 들짐승; birds and beasts (animals in general)

走獸 (주수) — 네발 짐승; quadrupeds

Mythical / extraordinary beasts:

怪獸 (괴수) — 괴이한 짐승; monster

猛獸群 (맹수군) — 맹수 무리; pack of wild beasts

Figurative / moral:

禽獸行 (금수행) — 짐승 같은 행실; beastlike behavior

獸心 (수심) — 잔인하고 포악한 마음; brutish or cruel heart

人面獸心 (인면수심) — 사람의 얼굴에 짐승의 마음; hypocritical brutality

These forms appear in Korean literature, moral philosophy texts, zoology, and modern figurative language.

In Confucian thought, humans distinguish themselves from beasts through:

禮 (ritual)

義 (righteousness)

仁 (benevolence)

Thus calling someone 獸 is severe condemnation.

Ancient Chinese categorized:

禽 (bird-like, winged)

獸 (beast-like, quadruped)

Together 禽獸, meaning “animals generally.”

Classical citations:

《詩經·小雅·斯干》 (The Book of Songs)

「陟彼高岡，獸食蕭蕭。」

“Ascending that high ridge, I hear the beasts feeding, rustling softly” — 獸 as wild animals in nature.

《禮記·王制》 (The Book of Rites)

「天子祭天地、四方、山川、百物、禽獸。」

“The Son of Heaven sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, the four quarters, mountains and rivers, the hundred things, and the birds and beasts” — 禽獸 = zoological pairing.

《孟子·梁惠王上》 (Mencius)

「無傷害於百姓，無禽獸烝焉。」

“Let the people suffer no harm, and let not the beasts swarm uncontrollably.”

《史記·周本紀》 (Records of the Grand Historian)

「禽獸滿野。」

“Birds and beasts filled the plains.”

《荀子·王霸》 (Xunzi)

「好利而忘義者，禽獸之行也。」

“Those who pursue profit and forget righteousness act like beasts” — figurative, moral criticism.

These citations demonstrate both literal and metaphorical uses.