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鸠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鸠jiūpigeon; to collect, to assembleHSK 7, nr, 7 strokes, radical 鸟, rank #25618, Very Hard
鸠jiūturtledoveHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 鸟, rank #25618, Very Hard
鸠jiū(literary) to gatherHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 鸟, rank #25618, Very Hard
jiū(jiu1)jiu T1
  1. 1pigeon; to collect, to assemble
  2. 2turtledove
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March 24, 2026

鸠(鳩)jiū(jiu1)

鸠 (jiū) primarily refers to a type of bird, specifically a pigeon or turtledove. It can also denote the action of gathering or assembling, often used in literary contexts. In Chinese culture, pigeons symbolize peace and harmony, which adds depth to its usage in poetry and literature.

Strokes7Radical鸟Frequency#25618DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, pigeons are often released during weddings and celebrations as a symbol of love and fidelity, making 鸠 a term associated with positive connotations in social contexts.

Memory tip

Imagine a pigeon (鸠) sitting on a 'jiu' (酒) bottle, gathering with its friends. The character 鸠 has the bird radical 鸟 (niǎo) at the top, which signifies it represents a bird. Picture this scene to remember both the shape and the sound of the word.

Meanings of 鸠

jiū(jiu1)
1pigeon; to collect, to assemble
2turtledove
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 鸠

鸠Simplified
鳩Traditional
7Strokes
鸟Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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AI study notes for 鸠

Usage Notes

In casual conversation, 鸠 is often used to refer to pigeons. However, in formal writing, it may appear less frequently. Students should be careful with tone; the first tone (jī) refers to a different word, so always use the second tone (jiū) when saying 鸠.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鸠 is not included in the HSK levels, it relates to Level 3 vocabulary through its connection to animals and nature. Students should focus on recognizing this character's structure and pronunciation to enhance their reading comprehension.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鸠 (jiū) with 鸟 (niǎo), assuming they have the same meaning. Remember, 鸟 is the general term for bird, while 鸠 specifically refers to pigeons or turtledoves.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鸠

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Etymology of 鸠

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 鸟 represents the meaning and 九 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鳩.

Memory hint

bird

Semantic (meaning)鸟
+
Phonetic (sound)九
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

鸠 = 鸟 + 九. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 鸠

IDS Structure⿰九鸟
鸠Full character
=
九jiu3
left
鸟diao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 鸠?

How to say pigeon; to collect, to assemble in Chinese

“pigeon; to collect, to assemble” in Chinese is鸠jiū

鸠 (jiū) primarily refers to a type of bird, specifically a pigeon or turtledove. It can also denote the action of gathering or assembling, often used in literary contexts. In Chinese culture, pigeons symbolize peace and harmony, which adds depth to its usage in poetry and literature.

When to use 鸠

In casual conversation, 鸠 is often used to refer to pigeons. However, in formal writing, it may appear less frequently. Students should be careful with tone; the first tone (jī) refers to a different word, so always use the second tone (jiū) when saying 鸠.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鸠 (jiū) with 鸟 (niǎo), assuming they have the same meaning. Remember, 鸟 is the general term for bird, while 鸠 specifically refers to pigeons or turtledoves.

Write 鸠

鸠

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

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Grammar patterns of 鸠

鸠 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

因此即使罗密欧不姓蒙特____,我还是一样会爱他.

I would love Romeo if his name were not Montague.

Example sentences for 鸠 (1)

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1
因此即使罗密欧不姓蒙特鸠,我还是一样会爱他.

yīncǐ jíshǐ luō mì Ōu bù xìng mēng tè jiū, wǒ háishi yíyàng huì ài tā.

I would love Romeo if his name were not Montague.

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Word Family of 鸠

Words containing this character9
鸠jiūturtledove鳩
斑鸠turtledove斑鳩
伊壁鸠鲁Epicurus (341-270 BC), ancient Greek philosopher伊壁鳩魯
鸠山Hatoyama, Japanese name and place name鳩山
鸠山由纪夫Hatoyama Yukio (1947-), Japanese Democratic Party politician, prime minister 2009-2010鳩山由紀夫
鹊巢鸠占to reap where one has not sown鵲巢鳩占
鸠江区Jiujiang district of Wuhu city 蕪湖市|芜湖市[Wú​hú​shì], Anhui鳩江區
鸠江Jiujiang district of Wuhu city 蕪湖市|芜湖市[Wú​hú​shì], Anhui鳩江
鸠合gathering鳩合
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 鸠

What does 斑鸠 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 鸠

鸠 specifically refers to pigeons and turtledoves, while other characters like 鸟 (niǎo) refer more generally to birds.

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