niǎo · bird
animal
💡 How to pronounce

n → like the 'n' in 'no'. iǎo → like 'yow' with a falling-rising tone.

📖 The Story

鸟 is the bird — a pictograph that shows a bird with wings, a beak, and a tail. Birds represent freedom, the sky, and the connection between heaven and earth in Chinese culture.

🎬 In Culture Today

Birds appear in many Chinese poems and stories. The magpie (喜鹊) is a symbol of good news and happiness. The phrase '鸟语花香' (niǎo yǔ huā xiāng) means 'birds singing and flowers blooming' — a description of spring.

📚 Words

xiǎo niǎosmall bird
fēi niǎoflying bird
niǎo cháobird's nest

📝 Example Sentences

小鸟在树上唱歌。

Xiǎoniǎo zài shù shàng chànggē.

The little bird is singing in the tree.

鸟语花香。

Niǎo yǔ huā xiāng.

Birds singing and flowers blooming.