fán

蹯

Character · Noun

animal's paw (esp. bear); sacrificial meat in ancient times

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

2 senses · 3 examples
1.

noun

animal's paw; especially a bear's paw

literary

This is an archaic/literary term. It is almost exclusively found in classical texts or set phrases, most commonly '熊蹯' (xióng fán).

 《
Zuǒ左
zhuàn传
 》
yǒu有
yún云
 ：
 “
Zǎi宰
fū夫
ér胹
xióng熊
fán蹯
bù不
shú熟
 ，
shā杀
zhī之
 。
 ”

The 'Zuo Zhuan' says: 'The cook boiled the bear's paw until it was not yet tender, and he was killed.'

Xióng熊
fán蹯
zài在
gǔ古
dài代
bèi被
shì视
wéi为
zhēn珍
xiū馐
měi美
wèi味
 。

Bear's paw was considered a delicacy in ancient times.

2.

noun

sacrificial meat (from the animal's foot); ritual offering

archaic

An extremely specialized, archaic usage referring to meat from the animal's foot used in ancient sacrificial ceremonies.

Zài在
gǔ古
dài代
lǐ礼
yí仪
zhōng中
 ，
jì祭
sì祀
yǒu有
shí时
huì会
yòng用
fán蹯
 。

In ancient rituals, sacrificial offerings sometimes included meat from the animal's paw.