枭 (xiāo) - owl & brave, valiant

枭Tone 1

xiāo ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 木

想信

枭 · xiāo

owl;

brave, valiant;

to display (severed heads);

cunning, treacherous

owlbrave, valiantto display (severed heads)

Usage highlights

owlbrave herodisplay severed headcunning and fierceowl's cryruthless bandit

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The owl (枭) is a nocturnal bird of prey.
  • He was a brave and valiant (枭雄) hero.
  • In ancient times, rebels' heads were displayed (枭首) as warning.
  • They admired the cunning (枭桀) strategist.

Collocations

  • owl(枭鸟)
  • brave hero(枭雄)
  • display severed head(枭首)
  • cunning and fierce(枭桀)
  • owl's cry(枭鸣)
  • ruthless bandit(枭匪)

Idioms

  • A hero among villains(枭雄)
  • Displaying heads as warning(枭首示众)
  • The owl's cry foretells misfortune(枭鸣示凶)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, the owl is often associated with bad omens and misfortune.
  • Historically used to describe brave but sometimes ruthless or treacherous individuals.
  • The character depicts a bird on a tree, originally referring to a type of owl that was believed to eat its mother.

FAQ