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The character 鹈 (traditionally 鵜) is a phono-semantic compound. Its right-side radical 鸟 (bird) provides the semantic category, while the left-side component 弟 gives the pronunciation. Historically, this character specifically denotes a large water bird with a throat pouch used for catching fish. It is most commonly paired with 鹕 in the word "鹈鹕", the standard term for pelican. This formation exemplifies how Chinese creates precise biological terms by combining a semantic radical with a phonetic element.
Etymology Hide
