<p>“半人半兽” is the best for the class, I think. Though a mermaid is a “semifera” but not a “兽”.</p>
<p>And for a specified creature, it may have a specified name, 半人马, 兽人, 美人鱼, etc.</p>
<p>“人面獸身” and “獸面人身” are not pretty good, because, for example, a centaur is typically have a human body and a horse body. And 半兽人 may be treated as a specified creature just like 兽人.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-20T17:21:22.803Z
From what little I can find, Bàn shòurén (半兽人) is treated as the word Orcs
Walter
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-20T13:00:07.290Z
2022-02-20T13:00:07.290Z
user30951
<p>Make sure your assumptions are correct.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>διφυῆ, - having two natures. The epithet is διφυής (adj. fem./masc.
nom.). There are various interpretations of this epithet but perhaps
it refers to Diónysos expressing both the death of the mortal nature
and the resurrection of the soul as a God. It could also refer to him,
as is said of his father in the Orphic Rhapsodic hymn to Zefs in the
theogony, that he is <strong>both male and female</strong>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>两性人<br />
hermaphrodite: 雌雄同体人</p>
<p>Latin: ferus &quot;wild&quot;
semiferal: half wild</p>
<p>Κέκροψ, Kékrops was a mythical king of Attica which derived from him its name Cecropia</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;described as having his top half shaped like a man and the bottom
half in serpent or fish-tail form&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>mermaid: 美人鱼</p>
<p>Otherwise, 半兽人 will do.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-20T03:47:18.280Z
The term διφυής  is applied to Kékrops, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecrops_I
Walter
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-20T10:20:45.650Z
That sob has a lot to answer for: apparently, he introduced reading, writing AND, wait for it, MARRIAGE!!
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-20T00:49:07.043Z
2022-02-20T01:50:33.377Z
2022-02-20T01:50:33.377Z
Pedroski
<p>人面獸身 or 獸面人身.</p>
<p>There were two famous 獸面人身 characters - 孫悟空 and 豬八戒 in ancient Chinese folk-story &quot;西遊記&quot; :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-19T20:17:47.220Z
2022-02-19T20:17:47.220Z
r13
<p>I am looking for a chinese term, that has the same meaning as the Greek diphues (διφυής) “of two natures”, or latin semifera, which means part human, part animal. It is a term to encompase mythological creatures like centaurs, the Minotaur, sphinx, etc... The closest I have come is Bànrén bànshòu (半人半兽) &quot;half man, half animal&quot; or Banren Banwu (半人半物) &quot;half man, half thing&quot;. I am looking for something more elegant or shorter term, if there is one.</p>

<translation><meaning-in-context>
Is there a chinese term similar to semifera?
# Is there a chinese term similar to semifera?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-02-19)

I am looking for a chinese term, that has the same meaning as the Greek diphues (διφυής) “of two natures”, or latin semifera, which means part human, part animal. It is a term to encompase mythological creatures like centaurs, the Minotaur, sphinx, etc... The closest I have come is Bànrén bànshòu (半人半兽) "half man, half animal" or Banren Banwu (半人半物) "half man, half thing". I am looking for something more elegant or shorter term, if there is one.

**Tags:** translation, meaning-in-context


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-02-20. Score: 1

“半人半兽” is the best for the class, I think. Though a mermaid is a “semifera” but not a “兽”.

And for a specified creature, it may have a specified name, 半人马, 兽人, 美人鱼, etc.

“人面獸身” and “獸面人身” are not pretty good, because, for example, a centaur is typically have a human body and a horse body. And 半兽人 may be treated as a specified creature just like 兽人.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: From what little I can find, Bàn shòurén (半兽人) is treated as the word Orcs  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-02-20. Score: 1

Make sure your assumptions are correct.

> διφυῆ, - having two natures. The epithet is διφυής (adj. fem./masc.
> nom.). There are various interpretations of this epithet but perhaps
> it refers to Diónysos expressing both the death of the mortal nature
> and the resurrection of the soul as a God. It could also refer to him,
> as is said of his father in the Orphic Rhapsodic hymn to Zefs in the
> theogony, that he is **both male and female**.

两性人  
hermaphrodite: 雌雄同体人

Latin: ferus "wild"
semiferal: half wild

Κέκροψ, Kékrops was a mythical king of Attica which derived from him its name Cecropia

> "described as having his top half shaped like a man and the bottom
> half in serpent or fish-tail form"

mermaid: 美人鱼

Otherwise, 半兽人 will do.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: The term διφυής  is applied to Kékrops, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecrops_I  
> **username_2**: That sob has a lot to answer for: apparently, he introduced reading, writing AND, wait for it, MARRIAGE!!  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2022-02-19. Score: 0

人面獸身 or 獸面人身.

There were two famous 獸面人身 characters - 孫悟空 and 豬八戒 in ancient Chinese folk-story "西遊記" :)


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