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The character 鹡, employed in the compound 鹡鸰 to name a wagtail, derives from its traditional form 鶺, which integrates the phonetic element 脊 with the semantic radical 鳥 denoting a bird. In its simplified version, the semantic component is rendered as 鸟, while 脊 remains as the phonetic indicator. The phonetic component 脊 may have been selected for its acoustic resemblance to the bird's name or for its association with the bird's striped plumage along the back, and the character's meaning has been specifically tied to this avian reference throughout its use.