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鴆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鴆zhèna bird resembling the secretary falconx, 15 strokes, radical 鳥
zhèn(zhen4) T4
  1. 1a bird resembling the secretary falcon
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鴆zhèn(zhen4)

The character 鴆 (zhèn) refers to a type of bird, specifically one that resembles the secretary falcon. In traditional Chinese culture, it is often associated with poison, as the bird's name is linked to a historical tale about its toxic characteristics. Thus, it can symbolize danger or death in certain contexts.

Strokes15Radical鳥
Cultural Note

In Chinese medicine, the bird 鴆 is historically noted for its poisonous traits, and there are stories of its use in ancient poisonings. This association with toxicity lends itself to metaphorical uses in literature and conversations about danger.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'zen' master who is calm and composed like a bird soaring through the sky. The character 鴆 has the radical for 'bird' (鳥) at the bottom, reminding you it is a type of bird, while the top part looks like a 'zen' symbol, suggesting its calm appearance contrasted with its lethal reputation.

Meanings of 鴆

zhèn(zhen4)
1a bird resembling the secretary falcon
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鴆

鴆Simplified
15Strokes
鳥Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鴆

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Podcast: 鴆

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AI Study Notes for 鴆

Usage Notes

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear more in literary or historical texts. Learners should be cautious about confusing it with similar-sounding characters, especially in tonal pronunciation. It is also essential to remember that while it refers to a bird, its symbolic meanings may vary based on context.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鴆 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enrich your knowledge of literary texts and cultural references. Focus on recognizing the radicals and components of the character, as this will assist in expanding your vocabulary related to animals and their cultural significances.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 鴆 with similar characters like 鸦 (yā, crow) due to the bird radical. Remember that 鴆 specifically refers to a bird associated with poison, while 鸦 is a common crow.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鴆

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Etymology of 鴆

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

bird

Semantic (meaning)鳥
+
Phonetic (sound)冘
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鴆

  1. 1The meaning half鳥 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half冘 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybird
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 鴆? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 鴆?

Decomposition of 鴆

IDS Structure⿰冘鳥
鴆Full Character
=
冘yin2
left
鳥niao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鴆?

How to say a bird resembling the secretary falcon in Chinese

“a bird resembling the secretary falcon” in Chinese is鴆zhèn

The character 鴆 (zhèn) refers to a type of bird, specifically one that resembles the secretary falcon. In traditional Chinese culture, it is often associated with poison, as the bird's name is linked to a historical tale about its toxic characteristics. Thus, it can symbolize danger or death in certain contexts.

When to use 鴆

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear more in literary or historical texts. Learners should be cautious about confusing it with similar-sounding characters, especially in tonal pronunciation. It is also essential to remember that while it refers to a bird, its symbolic meanings may vary based on context.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 鴆 with similar characters like 鸦 (yā, crow) due to the bird radical. Remember that 鴆 specifically refers to a bird associated with poison, while 鸦 is a common crow.

Write 鴆

鴆

Practice writing 鴆 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 鴆

Words Containing This Character2
鸩zhènpoisonous鴆
饮鸩止渴fig. a supposed remedy that only makes matters worse飲鴆止渴
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 鸩 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鴆

It often symbolizes danger or death due to its association with poison.

Jason Recommends

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