狸 lí fox
How to remember 狸: 犭 dog + 里 in = fox. The dog sniffs all night, sure that something is hiding in the hen house, and at dawn a red fox slips out.
Component breakdown
狸 = 犭 dog + 里 in
- 犭 dog
- 里 in
- 日 sun
- 土 earth
The dog sniffs all night, sure that something is hiding in the hen house, and at dawn a red fox slips out.
How it is used
- Occurs in 狐狸 (húli): fox, and 狸猫 (límāo) a wildcat/leopard cat.
- 狸猫换太子 (límāo huàn tàizǐ), swapping a wildcat for the crown prince, is a set phrase meaning to secretly substitute a fake for the real thing.