鴳 (yàn) - A small bird, particularly referring to the quail & also used in classical Chinese literature.

鴳Tone 4

yàn ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

妍嬿

鴳 · yàn

A small bird, particularly referring to the quail or similar small birds;

also used in classical Chinese literature.

A small bird, particularly referring to the quailalso used in classical Chinese literature.

Usage highlights

QuailQuail's dwellingQuail and sparrowQuail's featherQuail's cry

Synonyms

  • 鶉— Quail (more common term)
  • 雀— Sparrow (small bird)

Antonyms

  • 鵬— Roc (mythical giant bird)
  • 鳳— Phoenix (majestic bird)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The quail (鴳雀) is a small ground-dwelling bird.
  • In ancient texts, the quail (鴳) was mentioned as a humble bird.
  • 鴳居 refers to living in a simple, humble dwelling like a quail's nest.
  • 鴳鴳 describes the appearance or sound of small birds.

Collocations

  • Quail(鴳雀)
  • Quail's dwelling(鴳居)
  • Quail-like(鴳鴳)
  • Quail and sparrow(鴳鷃)
  • Quail's feather(鴳羽)
  • Quail's cry(鴳鳴)

Idioms

  • The quail and the sparrow(鴳鷃同巢)
  • Quail's dwelling, cow's drinking(鴳居飲犢)
  • Quail's heart and rat's belly(鴳心鼠腹)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese literature, the quail (鴳) often symbolizes humility, simplicity, or insignificance due to its small size and modest nature.
  • The character appears in ancient texts like Zhuangzi, where it represents the perspective of small creatures.
  • It is sometimes used in contrast to larger, more majestic birds like the phoenix or eagle.

FAQ