ape

猿 is composed of the radical 犬 (dog) and 袁 (surname). 犬 is a pictograph of a dog, broadly referring to beasts or animals, while 袁 originally means to surround or encircle. Thus, 猿 describes a type of intelligent, human-like beast that not only walks on the ground but also excels at climbing trees. In a forest inhabited by such creatures, one would be surrounded by them from all directions, as represented by 猿, referring to an ape or monkey.