About
The character 雕 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines the phonetic component 周 (zhōu) with the semantic components 隹 (zhuī, a short-tailed bird) and 彡 (shān, hair or feathers), though it is also analyzed as a modification of 琱 (to carve jade). Originally, 雕 referred to a large bird of prey, such as an eagle or vulture, a meaning derived directly from its bird and feather components. Over time, the character’s sense broadened to include the act of engraving or carving, likely because the feathers of these birds were used decoratively, or through phonetic borrowing from similar words. This meaning of carving materials like wood or stone is now its primary everyday usage, alongside representing the bird itself.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这是一只大雕。
艺术家雕刻了一尊木像。
广场中央有一座石雕。
他的手艺把木头雕活了。
这些精美的雕花出自大师之手。
他的文笔雕琢得十分精致。
浮雕工艺需要极大的耐心。
博物馆收藏着古代的玉雕珍品。