喜鹊 (xǐ què) — magpie

Definition

The Chinese magpie, traditionally a symbol of good luck and happy news (the name literally means 'joy magpie'). In Chinese culture a magpie's call is taken as an omen of good fortune, not just the bird itself.

noun
magpie
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 喜鹊
    Chuāng wài yǒu yì zhī xǐ què zài jiào.
    There is a magpie calling outside the window.
  • 喜鹊
    Zài zhōng guó wén huà zhōng, xǐ què cháng bèi shì wéi jí xiáng de xiàng zhēng.
    In Chinese culture, the magpie is often seen as a symbol of good luck.
  • 喜鹊
    Nà zhī xǐ què fēi dào le shù shàng.
    That magpie flew into the tree.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

joy/auspicious
quèmagpie

喜 adds the idea of good news to 鹊, the bird traditionally linked with happiness.

Characters in this word

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

喜 combines 壴, a drum, with 口, a mouth.

Open 喜 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 鹊 →
Appears in

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