About
鹜 (traditional 鶩) is a phono-semantic compound that denotes a wild duck. The phonetic component 敄, placed above, gives the character its sound, while the semantic radical 鸟 (simplified) or 鳥 (traditional) at the bottom indicates that it refers to a bird. While the meaning "wild duck" has persisted throughout its history, the character is most often seen in classical literature and set phrases where it evokes ducks swimming or moving swiftly, rather than serving as the common, everyday term for a domestic duck.
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