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凫 (fú) is the simplified version of the traditional character 鳧, and it is formed by the bird radical 鸟 together with the enclosing element 几. Historically, 几 functioned as a phonetic component, yet the character's meaning is avian, specifying a wild duck or mallard and thereby distinguishing these undomesticated waterfowl from domestic ducks. In classical literature, it also appears as a metaphor for swimming or floating, inspired by the image of wild ducks gliding effortlessly across the surfaces of lakes and rivers.
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