owl; beneficial bird of prey
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
owl; a general term for small to medium-sized birds of prey (like owls)
literaryA classical or literary term for owls and related raptors. It often appears in ancient texts (e.g., 《诗经·豳风·鸱鸮》) and is less common in everyday modern speech, where "猫头鹰" is preferred. It carries a connotation of being a nocturnal hunter beneficial to agriculture.
Gǔ古
dài代
shī诗
wén文
zhōng中
cháng常
yǐ以
chī鸱
xiāo鸮
bǐ比
yù喻
è恶
rén人
huò或
bù不
xìng幸
de的
zhēng征
zhào兆
。
In ancient poetry and literature, the owl was often used as a metaphor for evil people or an omen of misfortune.
Chī鸱
xiāo鸮
shì是
nóng农
tián田
de的
wèi卫
shì士
，
néng能
bǔ捕
shí食
dà大
liàng量
hài害
shǔ鼠
。
Owls are guardians of farmland, capable of preying on large numbers of pest rodents.
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《
Shī诗
Jīng经
》
lǐ里
yǒu有
yī一
piān篇
míng名
wéi为
《
Chī鸱
Xiāo鸮
》
de的
shī诗
。
In the 'Book of Songs,' there is a poem titled 'The Owl.'
Yè夜
sè色
zhōng中
chuán传
lái来
chī鸱
xiāo鸮
de的
jiào叫
shēng声
。
The call of an owl came through the night.