About
The character 雚 is a phono-semantic compound. Its top radical 艹 (grass) suggests a marshy habitat, while the middle component 吅 (two mouths) indicates loud calls. The bottom radical 隹 (short-tailed bird) identifies its category. Originally, it represented a wading bird like a stork or heron. Though now rare as a standalone word, it is frequently used as a phonetic element in characters such as 觀 and 歡.
Etymology Hide
