鸟巢

• Pinyin: niǎo cháo
• Hanzi breakdown: 鸟 = pictograph of a bird; 巢 = 木 (tree) + 果 (fruits/nest on top) — a nest perched in a tree

Meaning

A bird's nest; also the colloquial name for the National Stadium in Beijing (2008 Olympics venue).

Literally refers to the nest built by birds. Widely known as the nickname for the National Stadium (国家体育场) in Beijing due to its distinctive interlocking steel structure resembling a bird's nest. Also used in 鸟巢建筑 (bird's nest architecture). The metaphorical use of 金丝雀的鸟巢 can describe an overly protected or confined environment for a person.

Examples

1. 奥运会开幕式在北京鸟巢体育场隆重举行，全球数十亿观众通过电视直播见证了这一历史时刻。 The Olympic opening ceremony was held with great ceremony at Beijing's National Stadium, the Bird's Nest, and billions of viewers around the world witnessed the historic moment on live TV.
2. 春天来临，树枝上随处可见鸟巢的踪影，鸟儿们忙碌地衔草筑巢，为迎接新生命做准备。 When spring arrives, bird nests can be seen everywhere on tree branches, and the birds busily carry bits of grass to build nests in preparation for new life.
3. 这座以鸟巢为设计灵感的现代建筑荣获了多项国际建筑设计大奖，成为当代建筑的经典之作。 This modern building, inspired by the design of a bird's nest, has won multiple international architecture awards and become a classic of contemporary architecture.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, sports, architecture, culture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 北京鸟巢不仅是2008年奥运会的标志性场馆，也是独具匠心的建筑艺术杰作，每年吸引数以百万计的游客慕名前来参观。(Beijing's Bird's Nest is not only the iconic venue of the 2008 Olympics but also a masterpiece of ingenious architectural art, attracting millions of visitors every year.)
• 生物学家在观察燕子筑巢习性时发现，燕子会反复修葺同一个鸟巢，有时沿用多年，这体现了动物对繁殖环境的强烈依恋。(Biologists studying swallow nesting behaviour found that swallows repeatedly repair the same nest, sometimes using it for many years — demonstrating a strong attachment to the breeding environment.)

Don't Say

• 将'鸟巢'单独用于正式场合指代国家体育场 — in formal writing, use the full name 国家体育场 or 国家体育场（鸟巢）; 鸟巢 alone is an informal nickname used in everyday speech

Origin & History

鸟 (bird) + 巢 (nest) — bird's nest; 巢 is itself a pictograph showing birds in a tree

Cultural Context

Era: Modern (2008 Olympics)

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal