Definitions

jiū turtledove; (literary) to gather

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "鸠", with its traditional form "鳩", is structured as a phonetic-semantic compound where the component "九" provides phonetic indication and "鳥" signifies its category as a bird, originally referring specifically to the turtledove. Over centuries, the character's meaning expanded beyond ornithology to denote the action of gathering or assembling, as utilized in classical literary compounds like "鸠合", a semantic shift likely influenced by the bird's observed flocking behavior. In contemporary language, the primary referent remains the dove or pigeon, while its extended meaning of collection has become largely obsolete, surviving only in a few historical or literary contexts.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

树上停着一只

Shù shàng tíng zhe yī zhī jiū.

A dove is perched on the tree.

的羽毛很漂亮。

Jiū de yǔmáo hěn piàoliang.

The dove's feathers are very beautiful.

那只在草地上觅食。

Nà zhī jiū zài cǎodì shàng mìshí.

That dove is foraging on the grass.

是一种常见的鸟。

Bānjiū shì yī zhǒng chángjiàn de niǎo.

The turtledove is a common type of bird.

清晨,的叫声很悦耳。

Qīngchén, jiū de jiàoshēng hěn yuè'ěr.

In the early morning, the dove's call is very pleasant.

公园里有很多斑在散步。

Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěnduō bānjiū zài sànbù.

There are many turtledoves walking in the park.

通常以种子和昆虫为食。

Jiū tōngcháng yǐ zhǒngzi hé kūnchóng wéi shí.

Doves usually eat seeds and insects.

由于环境变化,的栖息地正在减少。

Yóuyú huánjìng biànhuà, jiū de qīxīdì zhèngzài jiǎnshǎo.

Due to environmental changes, the dove's habitat is decreasing.