老鹰 (lǎo yīng) — eagle; hawk (large bird of prey)

Definition

noun

eaglehawk (large bird of prey)

Measure word · 只

老鹰。
Tiān kōng zhōng yǒu jǐ zhī lǎo yīng zài fēi xiáng.
There are several eagles flying in the sky.
老鹰，。
lǎo yīng De shì lì fēi cháng hǎo, néng kàn jiàn hěn yuǎn de dōng xī.
Eagles have very good eyesight and can see things far away.
老鹰。
Tā zài dòng wù yuán dì yī cì kàn dào zhēn de lǎo yīng.
He saw a real eagle for the first time at the zoo.

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

The familiar bird name 老鹰 uses 老 with 鹰, the hawk or eagle.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鷹; 鹰 is its simplified writing.

䧹鳥鷹

Meaning part形符xíngfú

鳥鳥niǎobird

Sound part声符shēngfú

䧹

䧹䧹鷹yīng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鷹 combines 鳥 (bird) with 䧹, which gives the sound.

Appears in