species of pigeon
鵓 refers specifically to a species of pigeon, with no broader abstract extensions beyond that bird.
鵓 combines 孛 (likely phonetic) with 鳥 (bird), forming a character for a specific pigeon species. The exact historical development is uncertain.
The left side 孛 looks like a child 子 under a cover 冖 with a cross 十 on top, and the right side 鳥 is a bird. Picture a young pigeon sheltered under a nest cover, marked with a cross-like twig.
For ホツ, imagine a pigeon cooing with a soft, breathy 'hots' sound: hots -> ホツ, like the warm breath of a nesting bird.
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