tortoise

JLPT N5

Words with this Kanji

Meaning and Usage

The character (guī) primarily refers to a tortoise or turtle, known for its slow movement and long lifespan. It is often used literally to talk about the animal in everyday conversation or literature.

Common Collocations

  • 乌龟 (wūguī): turtle, often used in daily speech.
  • (guīsù): literally 'turtle speed,' a colloquial expression meaning very slow.

Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, the tortoise symbolizes longevity and stability. When used metaphorically, can describe someone who is steady and cautious.

Usage Tips

When using in conversation, it often appears in compound words like 乌龟. Avoid confusing it with similar animals like 鳖 (biē), which refers to softshell turtles. The character is more formal and literary than the colloquial 乌龟.

Summary

Use when referring to the tortoise in a formal or literary context, or metaphorically to describe steadiness and longevity. For casual speech, 乌龟 is more common.

Example Sentences

This tortoise has already lived for fifty years.

The turtle slowly crawled across the grass.

He does things steadily like a tortoise, neither hurried nor impatient.