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鸶 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鸶sīthe eastern egretx, 10 strokes, radical 鸟
鸶sīheronunknown, 10 strokes, radical 鸟
sī(si1) T1
  1. 1the eastern egret
  2. 2heron
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鸶(鷥)sī(si1)

The character 鸶 (sī) refers specifically to the eastern egret or heron, a type of wading bird commonly found in wetlands. It is often associated with beauty and grace in Chinese literature and can symbolize purity or tranquility in nature.

Strokes10Radical鸟
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, herons are often depicted in traditional paintings and poetry, symbolizing longevity and peace. They are also associated with the beauty of nature, often appearing in scenes of tranquility that reflect the values of harmony in Chinese philosophy.

Memory Tip

Imagine an elegant heron (鸶) standing by a serene lake, its long neck resembling the letter 'S' in 'sī'. The character has the radical for bird (鸟) on the left, emphasizing its meaning as a bird. Visualize the heron gliding smoothly over the water to remember its graceful essence.

Meanings of 鸶

sī(si1)
1the eastern egret
2heron
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鸶

鸶Simplified
鷥Traditional
10Strokes
鸟Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鸶

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Podcast: 鸶

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AI Study Notes for 鸶

Usage Notes

While 鸶 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in literary contexts or discussions about nature. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with similar bird characters like 鸥 (ōu), which means 'seagull'. Ensure proper pronunciation with a high flat tone (sī).

HSK Study Tips

Though 鸶 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other nature-related words you may encounter at higher levels, such as 鳥 (niǎo, bird) and 鶴 (hè, crane). Focus on the tones and radicals in similar characters to deepen your understanding of Chinese bird terminology.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鸶 with 鶴 (hè, crane) due to their similar meanings and appearances. Remember that 鸶 specifically refers to the eastern egret, while 鶴 refers to cranes, which have different cultural significance.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鸶

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Etymology of 鸶

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

bird

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鸶

  1. 1The meaning half鸟 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half丝 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 鸶? 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 鸶?

Decomposition of 鸶

IDS Structure⿱丝鸟
鸶Full Character
=
丝si1
top
鸟diao3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鸶?

How to say the eastern egret in Chinese

“the eastern egret” in Chinese is鸶sī

The character 鸶 (sī) refers specifically to the eastern egret or heron, a type of wading bird commonly found in wetlands. It is often associated with beauty and grace in Chinese literature and can symbolize purity or tranquility in nature.

When to use 鸶

While 鸶 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in literary contexts or discussions about nature. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with similar bird characters like 鸥 (ōu), which means 'seagull'. Ensure proper pronunciation with a high flat tone (sī).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鸶 with 鶴 (hè, crane) due to their similar meanings and appearances. Remember that 鸶 specifically refers to the eastern egret, while 鶴 refers to cranes, which have different cultural significance.

Write 鸶

鸶

Practice writing 鸶 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 鸶

Words Containing This Character1
鸶sīheron鷥
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 鸶 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鸶

It is pronounced 'sī' with a high flat tone.

Jason Recommends

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