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鸮 (xiāo), the simplified form of 鴞, is a phono-semantic compound: the right-side component 鸟 (niǎo) supplies the meaning 'bird,' and the left-side 号 (hào) gives the sound. The traditional character 鴞 uses the traditional bird radical 鳥 and the more complex phonetic 號 (hào). Originally denoting various owl species, the character carried negative connotations in classical Chinese literature, symbolizing bad omens, unfilial offspring, and misfortune, which arose from the bird's nocturnal habits and distinctive call. In modern ornithological terminology, it is a neutral scientific classification.
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