About
The character 鹧 (zhè), with traditional form 鷓, is a phono-semantic compound created to name a specific bird. It combines the phonetic component 庶 (shù) on the upper or left side with the bird radical 鸟 (niǎo; traditional: 鳥) on the lower or right side, indicating its avian category. 鹧 is almost exclusively used in the compound 鹧鸪 (zhègū), meaning Chinese francolin or partridge. In classical Chinese poetry, this bird's call often serves as an auditory symbol to evoke homesickness, melancholy, and the sorrow of travelers far from home.
Etymology Hide
