Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
鹁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鹁bóa species of pigeonn, 12 strokes, radical 鸟
鹁bówoodpidgeonunknown, 12 strokes, radical 鸟
bó(bo2) T2
  1. 1a species of pigeon
  2. 2woodpidgeon
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鹁(鵓)bó(bo2)

The character 鹁 (bó) refers specifically to a type of bird known as the woodpigeon. This term is often used in natural contexts or discussions about wildlife in China, and it highlights the significance of birds in Chinese culture, particularly in poetry and art.

Strokes12Radical鸟
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, birds like the woodpigeon are often symbolic of peace and harmony, reflecting the traditional appreciation for nature. They appear in poetry and art, representing the beauty of the natural world.

Memory Tip

Imagine a big, fluffy bird (the woodpigeon) that boasts a beautiful plumage. The character 鹁 has a radical that represents a bird (鸟) on the left, reminding you that it relates to avian creatures, while the sound 'bó' can be linked to 'bobbing' as the pigeon moves through trees.

Meanings of 鹁

bó(bo2)
1a species of pigeon
2woodpidgeon
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鹁

鹁Simplified
鵓Traditional
12Strokes
鸟Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鹁

JasonAmy

Podcast: 鹁

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 鹁

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 鹁 with other bird-related characters, like 鸟 (niǎo), which means 'bird' in general. It's important to use 鹁 specifically for woodpigeons, which might be less commonly referenced in everyday conversation, so context is key.

HSK Study Tips

While 鹁 is not included in HSK levels, understanding it can enrich vocabulary related to nature and animals, which is beneficial for HSK Level 3 and above. Focus on recognizing the bird radical and its application in other bird names.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly use 鹁 to refer to any bird instead of specifically to woodpigeons. For instance, saying '我看到一只鹁' (I saw a bird) is incorrect; it should be '我看到一只鸟' for general birds.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鹁

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 鹁 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 鹁

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

bird

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鹁

  1. 1The meaning half鸟 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half孛 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 鹁? 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 鹁?

Decomposition of 鹁

IDS Structure⿰孛鸟
鹁Full Character
=
孛bei4
left
鸟diao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鹁?

How to say a species of pigeon in Chinese

“a species of pigeon” in Chinese is鹁bó

The character 鹁 (bó) refers specifically to a type of bird known as the woodpigeon. This term is often used in natural contexts or discussions about wildlife in China, and it highlights the significance of birds in Chinese culture, particularly in poetry and art.

When to use 鹁

Learners often confuse 鹁 with other bird-related characters, like 鸟 (niǎo), which means 'bird' in general. It's important to use 鹁 specifically for woodpigeons, which might be less commonly referenced in everyday conversation, so context is key.

What learners get wrong

Learners might mistakenly use 鹁 to refer to any bird instead of specifically to woodpigeons. For instance, saying '我看到一只鹁' (I saw a bird) is incorrect; it should be '我看到一只鸟' for general birds.

Write 鹁

鹁

Practice writing 鹁 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 鹁

Words Containing This Character2
鹁bówoodpidgeon鵓
鹁鸽pigeon鵓鴿
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 鹁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鹁

鹁 specifically refers to a woodpigeon, while other characters like 鸟 represent birds in general.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鹁?

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.