Can someone help me with this paragraph?

Discussion in 'Translator's Corner' started by Dreamscape1599, Jun 9, 2021.

  1. Dreamscape1599

    Dreamscape1599 Active Member

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    It goes like this:
    璀璨之中,李如壁的面相又似有着变化,狼顾鹰视,头顶气运化为一匹似龙似狼的怪物,通体漆黑,眼眸又带着紫意。

    The hard part is this: 狼顾鹰视.

    Thank you.
     
  2. Mai

    Mai Active Member

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    狼顾鹰视 basically means a predatory gaze
     
  3. emiliers

    emiliers Well-Known Member

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    According to the ever helpful google, the term is more commonly written 鷹視狼顧, and it's a phrase from Romance of the Three Kingdoms that Cao Cao spoke on his deathbed about Sima Yi.

    Here's a very long-winded explanation of it thanks to this kind person on Zhihu. And here's another post where someone actually posted pictures!

    TLDR; 鷹視 essentially means "gaze like a hawk" -- incisive, keen, etc. 狼顧 means "head like a wolf", as in, you can turn your head 180 degrees to look completely back over your shoulder without moving your body.
     
  4. keialpha

    keialpha Well-Known Member

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    Grammar in ancient Chinese: noun followed by verb, the noun describes the verb like adjective, instead of treating the noun as subject.
    In this case, looked back like how a wolf looked back, watch forward like how a eagle looked ahead.
     
  5. xuxunette

    xuxunette Member

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    Total shot in the dark without context for fun.


    In the light, Li Rubi’s face changed again. As he looked over his shoulder with hawkish eyes, the qi atop his head transformed into a creature that could have been a dragon or a wolf. The creature’s body was jet-black, and its eyes of a purplish colour.