shòu

beast

Original meaning: 

to hunt

Depicts using a hunting tool () and a dog () to hunt for and capture wild animals. Original form of . was later added as a distinguishing mark. The meaning later shifted to "beast".

Components
單 iconic component

  Iconic component

dānshàn

  

single

Depicts a hunting tool.

口 distinguishing component

  Distinguishing component

kǒu

  

mouth

犬 iconic component

  Iconic component

quǎn

  

dog

Evolution

獸 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
獸 Bronze script Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze script

Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
獸 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
獸 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
獸 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

shòu

beast, animal; bestial; beast; animal; beastly

Most common words with 獸
Freq.
Word
Meaning

beast

怪兽

rare animal

野兽

beast

兽医

vet

禽兽

creature

Sources

李学勤《字源》p.1270

劉志基《中國漢字文物大系》Vol. 14, p.393

何琳儀《戰國古文字典:戰國文字聲系》p.218