Onyomi: チョウ · Kunyomi: とり · Meanings: bird, chicken
Kanji for bird, chicken
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The kanji 鳥 began as a pictograph of a bird with a rounded body, wings, and a beak. The small lines inside represent feathers, while the lower part suggests its tail. In ancient writing, it symbolized all kinds of birds — creatures of freedom and song. Today, 鳥 means “bird,” representing lightness, freedom, and the beauty of life in the sky.
A picture of a bird with wings and a tail — 鳥 means bird, the creature that flies freely through the sky.
Imagine a bird spreading its wings and singing under the open sky — that’s 鳥, the kanji for bird, symbolizing freedom and joy.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 鳥 | とり | bird | common JLPT-N5 Noun |
| 一寸 | ちょっと | a little, a bit, slightly | common JLPT-N1 JLPT-N5 Adverb (fukushi) |
| 鳥居 | とりい | torii (Shinto shrine archway) | common JLPT-N1 Noun |
| 鶏肉 | とりにく | chicken meat | common Noun |
| 鳥類 | ちょうるい | birds | common Noun |
| 鳥かご | とりかご | birdcage | Noun |
| 鶏皮 | とりかわ | chicken skin (esp. in cooking) | Noun |
| 鶏胸肉 | とりむねにく | chicken breast meat | Noun |
| 鳥肌 | とりはだ | gooseflesh, goose pimples, goose bumps | Noun |
| 鳥人 | ちょうじん | aviator, flying ace, birdman | Noun |