鹞 (yào) - Sparrowhawk — a small to medium-sized bird of & also refers to a type of kite or

鹞Tone 4

yào ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

嬿一

鹞 · yào

Sparrowhawk — a small to medium-sized bird of prey;

also refers to a type of kite or hawk used in falconry.

Sparrowhawk — a small to medium-sized bird ofalso refers to a type of kite or

Usage highlights

SparrowhawkPaper kiteFlying a kiteEurasian sparrowhawkHawk kiteFalconry hawk

Synonyms

  • 鹰— eagle/hawk (broader category)
  • 隼— falcon (another type of bird of prey)

Antonyms

  • 雀— sparrow (prey rather than predator)
  • 鸽— dove (peaceful bird as opposed to predatory hawk)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The sparrowhawk (鹞子) is a skilled hunter of small birds.
  • He flew a hawk-shaped kite (纸鹞) in the park.
  • Falconry with sparrowhawks (放鹞) was popular in ancient times.
  • The birdwatcher spotted a Eurasian sparrowhawk (雀鹞).

Collocations

  • Sparrowhawk(鹞子)
  • Paper kite(纸鹞)
  • Flying a kite(放鹞)
  • Eurasian sparrowhawk(雀鹞)
  • Hawk kite(鹞形风筝)
  • Falconry hawk(猎鹞)

Idioms

  • The kite attacks the sparrow(鹞子抓雀)
  • Flying a kite to test the wind(放鹞探风)
  • As fierce as a hawk(凶如鹞鹰)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Traditionally used in falconry for hunting small birds due to its agility.
  • In Chinese culture, kite flying (放鹞) has a long history, with hawk-shaped kites being popular.
  • The character appears in military contexts, comparing swift attacks to a hawk's strike.

FAQ