magpie (auspicious bird)
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
magpie (Pica pica); a black-and-white bird with a long tail and noisy call, regarded as a harbinger of good news in Chinese folklore
In traditional Chinese culture, the magpie is an auspicious symbol associated with joy and good news. The name literally means 'happy bird' or 'bird of joy'. Often contrasted with the crow (乌鸦), which symbolizes bad luck.
Shù树
shàng上
yǒu有
liǎng两
zhī只
xǐ喜
què鹊
zài在
zhù筑
cháo巢
。
There are two magpies building a nest in the tree.
Mín民
jiān间
chuán传
shuō说
xǐ喜
què鹊
jiào叫
，
hǎo好
shì事
yào要
lái来
dào到
。
Folklore says that when the magpie calls, good things are coming.
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Tā他
huà画
le了
yī一
fú幅
xǐ喜
què鹊
dēng登
zhī枝
tú图
。
He painted a picture of a magpie perched on a branch.
Nà那
zhī只
xǐ喜
què鹊
de的
yǔ羽
máo毛
hēi黑
bái白
fēn分
míng明
，
fēi非
cháng常
piào漂
liang亮
。
That magpie has distinct black-and-white feathers and is very beautiful.