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鴿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鴿gēpigeon, dove; Columba species (various)x, 17 strokes, radical 鳥
gē(ge1) T1
  1. 1pigeon, dove; Columba species (various)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鴿gē(ge1)

The character 鴿 (gē) refers to a pigeon or dove, commonly associated with peace and communication. It is often used in contexts related to nature, wildlife, and symbolic representations of love and harmony.

Strokes17Radical鳥
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, doves are often symbols of peace, love, and fidelity, making them significant in weddings and celebrations. The image of a dove is frequently used in art and literature to convey these themes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a graceful dove gliding through the sky, its wings resembling the character 鴿. The left side of the character represents a bird, while the right side can remind you of 'ge' in its soft, gentle sound, just like the cooing of a dove.

Meanings of 鴿

gē(ge1)
1pigeon, dove; Columba species (various)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鴿

鴿Simplified
17Strokes
鳥Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鴿

JasonAmy

Podcast: 鴿

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 鴿

Quick Contrast

鸽 (gē) vs 鸟 (niǎo) — use 鴿 when specifically referring to doves or pigeons, while 鸟 is a general term for birds.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 鴿 with similar characters that depict other birds. This character is generally used in both formal and informal contexts but may appear more often in literary or poetic language. Common collocations include 鴿子 (gēzi) for 'pigeon' and phrases related to peace.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鴿 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with other animal-related words you'll encounter, such as 鸟 (niǎo) for 'bird'. Focus on the pronunciation and writing of characters related to animals to enhance recognition.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鴿 with other bird characters, such as 鸥 (ōu, 'seagull'). Make sure to remember that 鴿 specifically refers to pigeons and doves. Another mistake is mispronouncing the tone; remember it is 'gē' with a high tone.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鴿

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Etymology of 鴿

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

Phonosemantic compound. 鸟 represents the meaning and 合 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鴿.

Memory Hint

bird

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鴿

Phonosemantic compound. 鸟 represents the meaning and 合 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鴿.

  1. 1The meaning half鳥 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half合 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 鴿? 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 鴿?

Decomposition of 鴿

IDS Structure⿰合鳥
鴿Full Character
=
合ge3
left
鳥niao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鴿?

How to say pigeon, dove; Columba species (various) in Chinese

“pigeon, dove; Columba species (various)” in Chinese is鴿gē

The character 鴿 (gē) refers to a pigeon or dove, commonly associated with peace and communication. It is often used in contexts related to nature, wildlife, and symbolic representations of love and harmony.

When to use 鴿

Be careful not to confuse 鴿 with similar characters that depict other birds. This character is generally used in both formal and informal contexts but may appear more often in literary or poetic language. Common collocations include 鴿子 (gēzi) for 'pigeon' and phrases related to peace.

鴿 or something close to it

鸽 (gē) vs 鸟 (niǎo) — use 鴿 when specifically referring to doves or pigeons, while 鸟 is a general term for birds.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鴿 with other bird characters, such as 鸥 (ōu, 'seagull'). Make sure to remember that 鴿 specifically refers to pigeons and doves. Another mistake is mispronouncing the tone; remember it is 'gē' with a high tone.

Write 鴿

鴿

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 鴿

Words Containing This Character10
鸽子gēzipigeon鴿子
鸽gēpigeon鴿
信鸽homing pigeon信鴿
放鸽子to stand someone up放鴿子
飞鸽Flying Pigeon (famous bicycle brand, made in Tianjin since 1936)飛鴿
和平鸽dove of peace和平鴿
鹁鸽pigeon鵓鴿
岩鸽(bird species of China) hill pigeon (Columba rupestris)岩鴿
原鸽(bird species of China) rock dove (Columba livia)原鴿
传书鸽carrier pigeon (used for mail)傳書鴿
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 鸽子 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鴿

While 鴿 specifically means 'pigeon' or 'dove', 鸟 is a general term for 'bird' and can refer to any avian species.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鴿?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.