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鸢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鸢yuānkite; Milvus species (various)n, 8 strokes, radical 鸟, rank #31731, Very Hard
鸢yuānkite (small hawk)unknown, 8 strokes, radical 鸟, rank #31731, Very Hard
yuān(yuan1) T1
  1. 1kite; Milvus species (various)
  2. 2kite (small hawk)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鸢(鳶)yuān(yuan1)

The character 鸢 (yuān) primarily refers to a kite, specifically the bird that is often associated with the act of flying. It can also denote certain species of hawks, particularly those in the Milvus genus. This word is commonly used in contexts related to nature, flying, and traditional kite flying in Chinese culture.

Strokes8Radical鸟Frequency#31731DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, kite flying is a popular pastime, often associated with festivals like the Qingming Festival, where people fly kites to symbolize letting go of the past. 鸢 embodies this cultural significance as kites are not just toys but also carry deep meanings of freedom and joy.

Memory Tip

Imagine a majestic kite soaring in the sky, its wings resembling the shape of the character 鸢. The top part looks like the bird's head and wings, while the bottom suggests its tail. Think of 'yuān' sounding like 'yawn' as if the bird is stretching its wings wide before taking off!

Meanings of 鸢

yuān(yuan1)
1kite; Milvus species (various)
2kite (small hawk)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鸢

鸢Simplified
鳶Traditional
8Strokes
鸟Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鸢

JasonAmy

Podcast: 鸢

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AI Study Notes for 鸢

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 鸢 with other bird-related characters; remember that it's specifically a type of kite. It's more commonly used in literary or poetic contexts rather than everyday conversation. Be cautious with pronunciation, ensuring to use the first tone correctly.

HSK Study Tips

While 鸢 is not included in any HSK level, it connects with vocabulary related to nature and birds often found in HSK 3 and 4. Focusing on the radicals and components can help students understand similar characters related to animals.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 鸢 with other characters for birds like 鸟 (niǎo), which is a general term for 'bird.' Remember, 鸢 specifically refers to kites or certain hawks, not all birds.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鸢

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Etymology of 鸢

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

bird

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鸢

  1. 1The meaning half鸟 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half弋 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 鸢? 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 鸢?

Decomposition of 鸢

IDS Structure⿱弋鸟
鸢Full Character
=
弋yi4
top
鸟diao3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鸢?

How to say kite; Milvus species (various) in Chinese

“kite; Milvus species (various)” in Chinese is鸢yuān

The character 鸢 (yuān) primarily refers to a kite, specifically the bird that is often associated with the act of flying. It can also denote certain species of hawks, particularly those in the Milvus genus. This word is commonly used in contexts related to nature, flying, and traditional kite flying in Chinese culture.

When to use 鸢

Learners often confuse 鸢 with other bird-related characters; remember that it's specifically a type of kite. It's more commonly used in literary or poetic contexts rather than everyday conversation. Be cautious with pronunciation, ensuring to use the first tone correctly.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 鸢 with other characters for birds like 鸟 (niǎo), which is a general term for 'bird.' Remember, 鸢 specifically refers to kites or certain hawks, not all birds.

Write 鸢

鸢

Practice writing 鸢 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 鸢

Words Containing This Character3
鸢yuānkite (small hawk)鳶
鸢尾Iricdaceae, the iris family鳶尾
纸鸢kite紙鳶
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 鸢 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鸢

It is pronounced as 'yuān' with a high-level tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鸢?

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.