Definitions

zhì ringed pheasant

Etymology phono-semantic

bird

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

雉 is a noun primarily meaning pheasant, a game bird noted for its colorful plumage. Its structure combines the semantic component 隹 (short-tailed bird) on the right with 矢 (arrow) on the left, historically implying a bird often hunted with arrows. In ancient times, it also served as a unit of measurement for city wall dimensions, though this architectural sense is now obsolete, leaving the bird definition as the primary meaning.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern