鸟 meaning and stroke order
Bird; "bird" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 196); (dialect) to pay attention to
How to write 鸟, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 鸟
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- bird
- "bird" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 196)
- (dialect) to pay attention to
- (intensifier) damned
- goddamn
- variant of 屌[diao3]
- penis
How 鸟 is built
Pictographic character. Simplified form of 烏, a bird.
How to remember 鸟
鸟 (niǎo) is a picture of a bird. The dot at the top is its eye, the hook is its head and body, and the long stroke at the bottom is its tail and feet.
鸟 is the everyday word for bird. In speech people often say 鸟儿 (niǎor) or 小鸟 (xiǎoniǎo), and 鸟类 (niǎolèi) is used for birds as a group. Example: 树上有一只鸟。(Shù shang yǒu yì zhī niǎo.) There is a bird in the tree.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 鸟 (niǎo) with 乌 (wū, crow or black). 乌 has no dot inside, so it looks like a bird with no visible eye. Also remember the measure word is 只 (zhī), not 个.
Common words with 鸟
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 鸟巢 | niǎocháo | bird's nest; nickname for Beijing 2008 Olympic stadium | HSK 7-9 |
| 小鸟 | xiǎoniǎo | small bird; young bird (hatchling, nestling, fledgling, chick) | |
| 鸟儿 | niǎor | bird | |
| 菜鸟 | càiniǎo | (coll.) sb new to a particular subject; rookie | |
| 鸟类 | niǎolèi | birds | |
| 飞鸟 | fēiniǎo | bird | |
| 鸟事 | niǎoshì | damn thing; (not one's) goddamn business | |
| 火烈鸟 | huǒlièniǎo | flamingo | |
| 鸟嘴 | niǎozuǐ | beak | |
| 鸵鸟 | tuóniǎo | ostrich | |
| 啄木鸟 | zhuómùniǎo | woodpecker | |
| 知更鸟 | zhīgēngniǎo | redbreast; robin | |
| 蜂鸟 | fēngniǎo | hummingbird |
鸟 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 鸟
Learning 鸟 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 鸟
How many strokes are in 鸟?
鸟 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 鸟 mean?
鸟 (niǎo) means bird; "bird" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 196); (dialect) to pay attention to. A common word with it is 鸟巢 (niǎocháo), meaning "bird's nest; nickname for Beijing 2008 Olympic stadium".
How do you pronounce 鸟?
鸟 is pronounced niǎo, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the traditional form of 鸟?
The traditional form of 鸟 is 鳥. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 鸟 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 鸟 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 鸟 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What does 菜鸟 (càiniǎo) mean?
菜鸟 literally means "vegetable bird" but it is slang for a beginner or rookie. You might say 我是电脑菜鸟 (wǒ shì diànnǎo càiniǎo), I am a computer newbie. It is casual and slightly self-mocking.
Is 鸟 ever a rude word?
Yes, in some uses. In older or dialect speech it can be read diǎo as a vulgar word, and it can act as a curse word meaning damned, as in 鸟事 (niǎoshì), damn thing. In normal contexts about animals, 鸟 (niǎo) is completely neutral.