Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
尨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
尨pángshaggy dog; striped, variegatedzg, 7 strokes, radical 犬
尨pánghugeunknown, 7 strokes, radical 犬
尨pángenormousunknown, 7 strokes, radical 犬
尨pángsurname Pangunknown, 7 strokes, radical 犬
尨mángshaggy dog; striped, variegatedzg, 7 strokes, radical 犬
尨mánghugeunknown, 7 strokes, radical 犬
尨mángenormousunknown, 7 strokes, radical 犬
尨mángsurname Pangunknown, 7 strokes, radical 犬
máng(mang2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1shaggy dog; striped, variegated
  2. 2huge
Also a Chinese surname, Pang — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

尨máng(mang2)

The character 尨 (máng) primarily refers to a shaggy dog, often used to describe a large, unkempt dog with a scruffy appearance. It can also denote anything that is striped or variegated, emphasizing its enormous or significant size in certain contexts. This character is less commonly used in daily conversation but may appear in literary or descriptive contexts.

Strokes7Radical犬
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, dogs are often associated with loyalty and protection, and the description of a shaggy dog may evoke traditional images of rural life where such dogs were used for herding or guarding livestock.

Memory Tip

Imagine a massive, shaggy dog with a striped coat running through a field. The character 尨 looks like a dog (the radical for dog is 犬) with a wild mane, emphasizing its shaggy nature. The 'máng' sound can remind you of a 'mangy' dog, which is also unkempt.

Meanings of 尨

máng(mang2)
primary
1shaggy dog; striped, variegated
2huge
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 尨

尨Simplified
7Strokes
犬Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 尨

JasonAmy

Podcast: 尨

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 尨

Usage Notes

Learners should be cautious when using 尨, as it is not frequently encountered in everyday language. It is more common in literary texts than in spoken Mandarin. A common mistake is confusing it with more common words for 'dog' like 狗 (gǒu).

HSK Study Tips

Since 尨 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, learners should focus on its components and similar characters, such as 犬 (dog) and 大 (big). Understanding its structure can help with recognizing less common vocabulary related to animals and descriptors.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 尨 with other dog-related characters due to its rarity. For example, saying '我有一个尨' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè máng) instead of '我有一个狗' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè gǒu) is incorrect for everyday conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 尨

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 尨 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 尨

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A hairy 彡 dog 犬

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 尨

  1. 1The giveawayA hairy 彡 dog 犬
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 尨? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 尨?

Decomposition of 尨

IDS Structure⿺犬彡
尨Full Character
=
犬quan3
enclosing
彡shan1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 尨?

How to say shaggy dog; striped, variegated in Chinese

“shaggy dog; striped, variegated” in Chinese is尨páng

The character 尨 (máng) primarily refers to a shaggy dog, often used to describe a large, unkempt dog with a scruffy appearance. It can also denote anything that is striped or variegated, emphasizing its enormous or significant size in certain contexts. This character is less commonly used in daily conversation but may appear in literary or descriptive contexts.

When to use 尨

Learners should be cautious when using 尨, as it is not frequently encountered in everyday language. It is more common in literary texts than in spoken Mandarin. A common mistake is confusing it with more common words for 'dog' like 狗 (gǒu).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 尨 with other dog-related characters due to its rarity. For example, saying '我有一个尨' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè máng) instead of '我有一个狗' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè gǒu) is incorrect for everyday conversation.

Write 尨

尨

Practice writing 尨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 尨

Words Containing This Character1
尨mánghuge
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 尨 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 尨

It typically means a shaggy dog or something that is large and furry, often used in a descriptive context.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 尨?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.