also: かたつばさ · へんよく
noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
one wing; single wing
Refers to a single wing of a bird, aircraft, or metaphorical entity. Often used in contexts of asymmetry or incompleteness, such as a bird with only one wing or an aircraft missing a wing.
See also: 一翼 (いちよく)
その鳥は片翼をけがしていた。
The bird had injured one wing.
片翼の飛行機が不時着した。
A single-winged airplane made an emergency landing.
Rare alternate reading using on'yomi for both characters.
一翼 means 'one wing' but is more commonly used in the sense of 'a part' or 'a role' in a group or organization, whereas 片翼 emphasizes the physical or metaphorical single wing itself.
Compound of 片 (kata, 'one side') + 翼 (yoku, 'wing'). The reading かたよく is the standard combination of kun'yomi and on'yomi. Alternate readings かたつばさ and へんよく are less common.