[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Natural-World \ #Animals # 羽 yǔ feather ## Components [[羽 (yǔ)]] [[习 xī]] ## Meaning Today, the character 羽 (yǔ) is rarely used in everyday modern Mandarin Chinese. When encountered, it's usually in specialized contexts like classical literature, historical texts, or discussions of traditional culture. Its primary meaning of "feather" or "wing" is preserved, but it's not commonly used in contemporary language. Instead, more specific terms are employed to denote feathers or wings in everyday communication. ## History The character 羽 (yǔ) originated as a pictogram depicting feathers, resembling their shape closely in various ancient scripts. Its primary meaning is the long feathers on a bird's wings or tail, symbolizing flight and support. This term extends to political allies (党羽) and items like feather fans or banners. In ancient music, 羽 also represented one of the five tones. The phrase "孔准爱惜自己的羽毛，君子爱惜自己的名声" emphasizes the importance of safeguarding one's reputation, drawing parallels between feathers for birds and reputation for individuals. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[羽 yǔ - ora.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[羽 yǔ - bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[羽 yǔ - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[羽 yǔ - cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[羽 yǔ - reg.svg]]