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鳴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鳴mínga bird call or animal cry; to make a soundzg, 14 strokes, radical 鳥, rank #54354, Very Hard
míng(ming2)ming T2
  1. 1a bird call or animal cry; to make a sound
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March 24, 2026

鳴míng(ming2)

The character 鳴 (míng) refers to the sound made by birds or animals, often translated as 'to chirp' or 'to cry.' It is commonly used in contexts involving nature, music, or any situation where a sound is produced. The character conveys a sense of liveliness and communication in the animal kingdom.

Strokes14Radical鳥Frequency#54354DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, the sound of birds is often associated with poetry and nature, reflecting harmony between humanity and the natural world. 鳴 is frequently used in classical literature to evoke feelings of tranquility and beauty.

Memory tip

Imagine a bird 'mingling' in the trees, making its melodious calls. The character 鳴 has the radical for 'bird' (鳥) at its core, which ties it to the idea of bird sounds. You can visualize a bird singing 'ming' as it flutters about.

Meanings of 鳴

míng(ming2)
1a bird call or animal cry; to make a sound
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 鳴

鳴Simplified
14Strokes
鳥Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鳴

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Podcast: 鳴

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AI study notes for 鳴

Quick Contrast

鸣 (míng) vs 唳 (lè) — use 鳴 for general animal sounds, while 唳 specifically refers to the cry of certain birds.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 鳴 with other characters that denote sounds, such as 音 (yīn), which refers more broadly to sound. 鳴 is generally used in informal contexts and pairs well with verbs like '叫' (jiào, to call) or '唱' (chàng, to sing). Pay attention to tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Though 鳴 is not part of the official HSK levels, it connects with other nature-related vocabulary commonly found in beginners' studies. Focus on pronunciation and the use of this character in phrases involving animals or sounds.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 鳴 with the character鸣, which is a simplified version used in mainland China. For example, using the wrong form in writing can lead to confusion about whether you're referring to bird sounds or something else. Always check the context for the correct character.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鳴

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Etymology of 鳴

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

The sound 口 a bird 鳥 makes

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 鳴?

Decomposition of 鳴

IDS Structure⿰口鳥
鳴Full character
=
口kou3
left
鳥niao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 鳴?

How to say a bird call or animal cry; to make a sound in Chinese

“a bird call or animal cry; to make a sound” in Chinese is鳴míng

The character 鳴 (míng) refers to the sound made by birds or animals, often translated as 'to chirp' or 'to cry.' It is commonly used in contexts involving nature, music, or any situation where a sound is produced. The character conveys a sense of liveliness and communication in the animal kingdom.

When to use 鳴

Learners often confuse 鳴 with other characters that denote sounds, such as 音 (yīn), which refers more broadly to sound. 鳴 is generally used in informal contexts and pairs well with verbs like '叫' (jiào, to call) or '唱' (chàng, to sing). Pay attention to tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to misunderstandings.

鳴 or something close to it

鸣 (míng) vs 唳 (lè) — use 鳴 for general animal sounds, while 唳 specifically refers to the cry of certain birds.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 鳴 with the character鸣, which is a simplified version used in mainland China. For example, using the wrong form in writing can lead to confusion about whether you're referring to bird sounds or something else. Always check the context for the correct character.

Write 鳴

鳴

Practice writing 鳴 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 鳴

Words containing this character20
鸣míngto cry (of birds, animals and insects)鳴
共鸣gòngmíngresonance (physics)共鳴
雷鸣thunder rolls雷鳴
轰鸣rumble轟鳴
一鸣惊人to amaze the world with a single brilliant feat (idiom); an overnight celebrity一鳴驚人
鸣枪to fire warning shots鳴槍
自鸣得意to think highly of oneself自鳴得意
鸣笛to hoot鳴笛
耳鸣tinnitus耳鳴
鸣叫to emit a sound鳴叫
奏鸣曲sonata奏鳴曲
鸣谢vote of thanks鳴謝
蜂鸣器buzzer蜂鳴器
悲鸣lament悲鳴
百家争鸣a hundred schools of thought contend (idiom); refers to the classical philosophic schools of the Warring States period 475-221 BC百家爭鳴
鸟鸣birdsong鳥鳴
哀鸣whine哀鳴
争鸣to contend爭鳴
鸣不平to protest unfairness鳴不平
孤掌难鸣It takes two to tango孤掌難鳴
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 鳴

What does 鸣 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 鳴

You can say '鸟在树上鸣叫' (The bird is chirping in the tree).

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