鳩
pigeon, dove
Readings
On'yomi
- キュウ
- ク
Kun'yomi
- はと
- あつ.める
Nanori
- やす
Meaning
鳩 centers on a specific type of bird: a pigeon or dove. The meanings are straightforward and refer to the same animal.
Most common words using 鳩
20 of 49- 鳩はとN1
pigeon; dove
- 斑鳩いかるが
Japanese grosbeak
- 伝書鳩でんしょばと
carrier pigeon; homing pigeon
- 鳩尾みぞおち
pit of the stomach; solar plexus
- 雉鳩きじばと
Oriental turtle dove (Streptopelia orientalis); rufous turtle dove
- 鳩時計はとどけい
cuckoo clock
- 鳩尾きゅうび
pit of the stomach
- 鳩首きゅうしゅ
going into a huddle
- レース鳩レースはと
racing pigeon; homing pigeon
- 冠鳩かんむりばと
crowned pigeon
- 初鳩はつばと
pigeon seen on the morning of the New Year (e.g. as one is going to the shrine or temple for the New Year prayers)
- 嘆鳩なげきばと
mourning dove (Zenaida macroura)
- 土鳩どばと
domestic pigeon; feral pigeon
- 堂鳩どうばと
feral pigeon; domestic pigeon
- 子鳩こばと
squab; young pigeon
- 孔雀鳩くじゃくばと
fantail pigeon
- 家鳩いえばと
domestic pigeon
- 山鳩やまばと
mountain-dwelling dove
- 旅行鳩りょこうばと
passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius)
- 海鳩うみばと
pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba)
Study
Etymology
鳩 combines 九 (which likely contributes the sound) with 鳥 (bird), forming a phono-semantic character for a pigeon or dove.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 九 looks like a stylized bird with a curved neck, and the right side 鳥 confirms it's a bird. Together they make a pigeon or dove.
Reading mnemonic
For キュウ, picture a pigeon cooing "kyuu, kyuu" as it pecks at seeds: the cooing sound cues キュウ.