鶲
crested flycatcher, peewee
Readings
On'yomi
—
Kun'yomi
- ひたき
Meaning
鶲 refers to a specific type of bird: the crested flycatcher, also known as a peewee. It is a bird name with no broader abstract meaning.
Most common words using 鶲
- 嘴黒鶲はしぐろひたき
northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
- 小鮫鶲こさめびたき
Asian brown flycatcher (Muscicapa dauurica)
- 瑠璃鶲るりびたき
red-flanked bluetail (species of flycatcher, Tarsiger cyanurus)
- 白額尉鶲しろびたいじょうびたき
common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
- 野鶲のびたき
common stonechat (Saxicola torquata)
- 鶲ひたき
Old World flycatcher (any bird of family Muscicapinae, esp. the typical flycatchers of subfamily Muscicapinae)
- 黄鶲きびたき
narcissus flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina)
Study
Etymology
鶲 combines 翁 (old man) and 鳥 (bird). The character was created to name a specific bird, likely the crested flycatcher, but the exact reason for using 翁 is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
An old man (翁) is watching a bird (鳥) with a crest on its head. That bird is the crested flycatcher, 鶲.
Reading mnemonic
For ひたき, imagine the old man (翁) saying 'He took a key' (ひたき) to open a birdcage and release the flycatcher. The phrase 'He took a key' sounds like ひたき and ties the old man to the bird.