About
The character 翮 is a phono-semantic compound with the phonetic component 鬲 on the left and the semantic radical 羽 (feather) on the right. The radical 羽 connects the character to birds and feathers. Originally, 翮 specifically meant the quill, the hard, central shaft of a feather. Since the quill provides the structural support for flight, the character is often used in classical literature as a synecdoche for a bird's wing. By extension, it can also symbolize the concept of flight or the ability to soar.
Etymology Hide
