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五步蛇

Mandarin · pinyin wǔ bù shé

Deinagkistrodon acutus, a species of venomous pit viper (lit. "five-pace snake" – supposedly, a person bitten by it can only walk five steps before succumbing to the venom)

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Characters in this entry

五: wǔ · five; surname
步: bù · step, pace; walk, stroll
蛇: shé · snake

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Mandarin tones

3–4–2 · wu3 bu4 she2

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