🇬🇧🇨🇳 hyena - 鬣狗 : English Lesson

Meaning of "hyena" ("鬣狗"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

A hyena is a wild animal that looks a bit like a dog, has a big round head, strong jaws, and a sloping back, makes loud “laughing” sounds, and usually lives and hunts in noisy groups in Africa.

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

At the talent show, the hyena’s only trick was laughing—and it still won first place.

A hyena would be terrible at whispering secrets because it starts laughing halfway through the first word.

My little brother tried to out-laugh a hyena and ended up just sounding like a squeaky door.

At the zoo, the hyena stared at my sandwich like it was the main character in a tasty movie.

A hyena's laugh is actually a real sound used to communicate with the pack—it’s like shouting status updates across the savanna.

A girl camps at dusk and sees a thin hyena at the edge of the firelight. The hyena watches, then a second hyena appears and a third hyena, all making rough laughing cries. The hyena pack moves like dogs, circling quietly. The girl holds her breath; then the hyena group turns away, and she laughs in relief.

Learn the meaning of hyena with our educational learning resources. Download a colorful poster, print engaging games, and enjoy an easy story where the word hyena appears in context. 👍

This word is featured in some playlists to help boost your English vocabulary! Check out where “hyena” (鬣狗) makes an appearance and dive into themed playlists that make learning fun. 👍

This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.