About
The character 啭 (zhuàn), traditional form 囀, is a phono-semantic compound denoting the melodic warbling or rhythmic chirping of birds. Its semantic component 口 (kǒu, mouth) grounds the meaning in vocal sound. The phonetic element is simplified 转 (zhuǎn) / traditional 轉, meaning to turn, which subtly conveys the modulating, turning notes of a bird's song. This character is used specifically in literary descriptions of avian vocalizations.