猴

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 猴 (hóu) for "monkey" is a pictograph that depicts a monkey sitting on its haunches. The character is composed of two parts: the radical 犭(quǎn), which indicates that the character is related to animals, and the phonetic component 侯 (hóu), which gives the character its pronunciation.The character 猴 has a long history, dating back to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). The earliest known example of the character is found on a bronze vessel from the Shang dynasty. The character has been used continuously since then, and it is still used in modern Chinese.The character 猴 has several different meanings. It can refer to any type of monkey, but it can also be used more specifically to refer to a macaque. The character can also be used figuratively to refer to someone who is mischievous or playful.The character 猴 is a common character in Chinese culture. It is often used in art, literature, and music. The character is also used in Chinese medicine, where it is believed to have medicinal properties.