鹞 (yào) — (bound form) sparrow hawk; kite (a bird of prey); (bound form) kite-shaped object, such as a toy kite (e.g., 纸鹞)

Definition

A bound noun referring to a sparrow hawk (a small bird of prey); also used in compounds for kite-shaped objects, especially 纸鹞 (paper kite). Always appears in compounds, never as a standalone word.

bound form
sparrow hawkkite (a bird of prey)kite-shaped objectsuch as a toy kite (e.g., 纸鹞)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 鹞。
    Nà shì yì zhī yào zi.
    That is a sparrow hawk.
  • 鹞。
    yào Yīng zài tiān shàng fēi.
    The hawk is flying in the sky.
  • 鹞。
    Tā mǎi le yì zhī cǎi sè zhǐ yào.
    He bought a colorful paper kite.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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 鷂; 鹞 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鳥鳥niǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
䍃
䍃䍃鷂yào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鷂 uses 鳥 (bird) for meaning and 䍃 for sound; this explanation is about 鷂, not the simplified 鹞.

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