百灵鸟 (bǎi líng niǎo) — lark; skylark

Definition

noun

larkskylark

Measure word · 只

，百灵鸟。
Qīng chén, bǎi líng niǎo zài tián yě shàng kōng huān kuài dì gē chàng.
In the early morning, a lark sings joyfully over the fields.
百灵鸟，。
Tā cóng xiǎo ài yǎng bǎi líng niǎo, duì tā de jiào shēng tè bié shú xi.
He has loved keeping larks since childhood and is very familiar with their calls.
百灵鸟。
Zhè zhī bǎi líng niǎo de yǔ máo yán sè fēi cháng piào liang.
The feather color of this lark is very beautiful.

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.

百灵

The name 百灵 identifies the bird, and 鸟 shows it is a bird.

Characters in this word

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

一白百

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

白

Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

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 靈; 灵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

霝

霝líng靈líng

Same sound today

This note describes the traditional form 靈, not the simplified 灵: 霝 gives the sound, and 玉 (jade) is the meaning part.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鳥; 鸟 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 鳥 came from a drawing of a bird with a dangling tail; the simplified 鸟 is a later abbreviation.