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鷸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鷸yùsnipe, kingfisherx, 23 strokes, radical 鳥
yù(yu4) T4
  1. 1snipe, kingfisher
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鷸yù(yu4)

The character 鷸 (yù) refers to a type of wading bird, specifically known as a snipe or kingfisher. It is often used in literary contexts and can symbolize agility and precision, commonly associated with birds that hunt in water or marshy areas.

Strokes23Radical鳥
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese poetry, birds like the snipe are often used as metaphors for freedom and the beauty of nature. They appear in various idioms and literary works that celebrate the elegance of wildlife.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sleek, slender bird (the snipe) darting through the water with incredible precision. The character 鷸 resembles a bird with its long beak, and the top part '鳥' (niǎo) means 'bird,' making it easier to remember that this character is about a specific type of bird.

Meanings of 鷸

yù(yu4)
1snipe, kingfisher
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鷸

鷸Simplified
23Strokes
鳥Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鷸

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Podcast: 鷸

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AI Study Notes for 鷸

Usage Notes

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more suitable for literary or poetic contexts. Be cautious with pronunciation, as misplacing tones can lead to confusion with other unrelated words. Common phrases include 鷸鷸 (yù yù), referring to multiple snipes.

HSK Study Tips

Since 鷸 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is beneficial for students to focus on related bird vocabulary or characters associated with nature. Understanding the radicals can help students recognize similar characters in the future.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鷸 with similar-sounding words or characters. For instance, some might mistakenly use 魚 (yú), which means 'fish,' instead of 鷸 (yù) when talking about birds. Always remember that 鷸 specifically refers to a type of bird.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鷸

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Etymology of 鷸

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

bird

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鷸

  1. 1The meaning half鳥 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half矞 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 鷸? 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 鷸?

Decomposition of 鷸

IDS Structure⿰矞鳥
鷸Full Character
=
矞yu4
left
鳥niao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鷸?

How to say snipe, kingfisher in Chinese

“snipe, kingfisher” in Chinese is鷸yù

The character 鷸 (yù) refers to a type of wading bird, specifically known as a snipe or kingfisher. It is often used in literary contexts and can symbolize agility and precision, commonly associated with birds that hunt in water or marshy areas.

When to use 鷸

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more suitable for literary or poetic contexts. Be cautious with pronunciation, as misplacing tones can lead to confusion with other unrelated words. Common phrases include 鷸鷸 (yù yù), referring to multiple snipes.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鷸 with similar-sounding words or characters. For instance, some might mistakenly use 魚 (yú), which means 'fish,' instead of 鷸 (yù) when talking about birds. Always remember that 鷸 specifically refers to a type of bird.

Write 鷸

鷸

Practice writing 鷸 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 鷸

Words Containing This Character2
鹬yùsandpiper鷸
鹬蚌相争lit. sandpiper and clam war together (and the fisherman catches both) (idiom); fig. neighbors who can't agree lose out to a third party鷸蚌相爭
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 鹬 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鷸

It means snipe, a type of wading bird, and can also refer to kingfishers.

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