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The character 鸱 (traditional: 鴟) refers to birds of prey such as owls or kites, with the exact species varying by historical or regional context. Its traditional form combines the semantic radical 鳥 (bird) on the right with the phonetic component 氐 (dī) on the left; the simplified version replaces 鳥 with 鸟 while retaining the same phonetic element. In classical texts, 鸱 often appears in compounds like 鸱鸮 (chīxiāo, "owl") and sometimes carries negative associations, symbolizing greed or rapacity.
Etymology Hide
