About
The character "鸽", meaning pigeon or dove, is a phono-semantic compound composed of the phonetic component "合" which hints at its historical pronunciation and the semantic component "鸟" indicating its category as a bird, with the traditional form "鴿" following an identical structural logic. Etymologically, this construction reflects a method of character formation where sound and meaning are combined, and while the core referent has consistently been birds of the Columbidae family, its use has expanded into compound words that denote specific varieties or symbolic roles, such as in "信鸽" for messenger pigeons or "和平鸽" for the dove as a peace symbol.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我看见一只鸽子。
这只鸽子很白。
鸽子喜欢吃玉米。
公园里有很多鸽子。
信鸽可以送信。
那只灰色的鸽子飞走了。
如果喂鸽子，它们会聚集过来。
鸽子的导航能力令科学家着迷。