鹰

• Pinyin: yīng
• Hanzi breakdown: 鹰 = 广 + 隹 + 鸟 (broad + short-tailed bird + bird — composite depicting a large raptor)

Meaning

Eagle; hawk. A large bird of prey. Also used figuratively for someone sharp-eyed, aggressive, or politically hawkish.

In literal use, refers to eagles and hawks in natural science or wildlife contexts. Figuratively, 鹰 symbolises power, keen vision, and fierce determination. In geopolitics, 鹰派 (hawk faction) denotes hardliners who favour aggressive policy. Common in idioms like 鹰击长空 (eagle soaring across the vast sky).

Examples

1. 那只草原金鹰从高空俯冲而下，几秒内就捕住猎物，尽显猛禽惊人的速度与精准。 That steppe golden eagle swooped down from high above and caught its prey in seconds, showing a raptor's astonishing speed and precision.
2. 内阁会议上，国防部长一派的鹰派官员与主张外交斡旋的温和派公开分歧，双方都在争取更多盟友。 At the cabinet meeting, the hawkish officials led by the defense minister and the moderates who favored diplomatic mediation openly disagreed, and both sides were seeking more allies.
3. 三年的调查显示，由于栖息地破坏和非法猎捕加剧，横断山脉核心区的鹰类数量比二十年前下降了四成多。 A three-year survey showed that, due to worsening habitat destruction and illegal hunting, the number of eagles in the core area of the Hengduan Mountains has fallen by more than forty percent compared with twenty years ago.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, politics, literature, figurative

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这位强硬谈判代表被称作谈判桌上的鹰，关键时刻总能凭细察细节和把握时机，为己方争取最大利益。(This tough negotiator is called the eagle at the negotiating table; at critical moments, he can always rely on his sharp attention to detail and precise timing to secure the greatest benefit for his side.)
• 摄影师在祁连山无人区蹲守二十一天，终于拍到白肩鹰在晨雾中展翅捕猎的瞬间，并拿下全国野生动物摄影最高奖。(After waiting for twenty-one days in the uninhabited area of the Qilian Mountains, the photographer finally captured the moment an adult white-shouldered eagle spread its wings to hunt in the morning mist and won the top prize in the national wildlife photography contest.)

Don't Say

• 他的眼睛像鹰一样 — overly literal simile; in literary or formal prose prefer 目光如鹰般锐利 or 有着鹰隼般的眼神 for a more natural figurative expression

Origin & History

鹰 = 广 + 隹 + 鸟 (broad/wide + short-tailed bird + bird radical — originally depicted a large bird of prey with widespread wings)

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal