About
The character 鸷 is a phono-semantic compound. Its lower radical 鸟 indicates the semantic category of birds, while the upper component 执 provides the pronunciation. In the traditional form 鷙, these components are written as 鳥 and 執, respectively. The character primarily refers to fierce birds of prey like eagles and hawks. Metaphorically, it extends to describe aggressive, violent, or ruthlessly determined human behavior, linking the relentless hunting nature of raptors to such traits.
Etymology Hide
