神鹰 (shén yīng) — condor; (figurative, patriotic) the air force (as a symbol of national strength)

Definition

Literally 'divine eagle,' used for the condor (the Andean bird) and, in patriotic writing, as a metaphor for the air force. The figurative sense appears chiefly in official or literary contexts.

noun
condor(figurative, patriotic) the air force (as a symbol of national strength)
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 神鹰。
    Zài nán měi zhōu de gāo shān shàng kě yǐ kàn dào shén yīng.
    You can see condors on the high mountains of South America.
  • 神鹰。
    Wǒ men de shén yīng bǎo wèi zhe zǔ guó de lán tiān.
    Our air force protects the blue skies of the motherland.
  • 神鹰。
    Rén mín kōng jūn bèi yù wéi lán tiān shén yīng.
    The People's Air Force is hailed as the divine eagle of the blue sky.

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.

神shéndivine
鹰yīngeagle

神 divine and 鹰 eagle together name a majestic condor or air force symbol.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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.

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.

Open 鹰 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.