adjective HSK 4
fierce · violent · suddenly · vigorously
Meaning
猛 describes something intense, fierce, or done with great force and energy. It can refer to physical strength, sudden movements, or intense actions. The character originally depicted a fierce dog or beast, capturing the essence of wild, untamed power.
Usage
猛 is commonly used to describe fierce animals (猛兽), sudden or vigorous actions (猛然), or intense effort (猛地). It often appears in compound words and can function adverbially when describing how an action is performed. The word carries a sense of intensity and forcefulness in modern usage.
Examples
- 01老虎是一种猛兽，非常危险。, .Tigers are fierce beasts and very dangerous.
- 02他猛地站起来，吓了我一跳。, .He suddenly stood up and startled me.
Common collocations
- 猛兽fierce beast
- 猛然suddenly, abruptly
- 猛地suddenly, all of a sudden
- 猛增to surge, to increase sharply
Antonyms
Origin
The character 猛 combines the radical 犭(dog/beast) with 孟 (eldest, first), originally depicting a fierce beast or aggressive dog, symbolizing wild and untamed strength.