About
The character "鸷" derives from the traditional form "鷙", which combines the component "執" for its phonetic value and associative meaning of grasping with the semantic radical "鳥" indicating a bird, originally referring specifically to birds of prey. In its simplified iteration "鸷", the elements are reconfigured into a left-right arrangement with "执" and "鸟". The meaning of the character expanded over time from denoting raptors to encompassing general attributes of fierceness and violence in various contexts.
Etymology Hide
