鳶

Phono-semantic compound:

鳥 (bird radical) — semantic, indicating that the character relates to a bird.

弋 (yì, “to shoot with a corded arrow”) — phonetic, giving the sound yuān and evoking the imagery of flight and hunting.

Early forms show a bird associated with tools used for catching or controlling it, reinforcing the sense of a bird that circles above, hard to catch.

鳶 originally denotes the black kite, a medium-sized raptor found across East Asia.

Because this bird soars gracefully in wide circles on the wind, the same character came to describe the paper kite toy that imitates its flight.

Thus, the word encompasses both:

The bird “kite” (솔개) — symbol of vigilance and keen vision.

The flying toy “kite” (연) — symbol of freedom, aspiration, and joy.

Interestingly, English uses the same word, “kite,” for both the bird and the toy — a parallel metaphor found across cultures.

In Chinese and Korean culture, the kite (鳶) became a popular metaphor in poetry and art.

As a bird, it symbolizes lofty ambition and freedom, but also detachment — the ability to hover high while remaining watchful.

As a toy, it represents the human wish to reach the heavens, often used in spring festivals and as a symbol of childhood innocence and renewal.

In Japan, the same character is used in the word 鳶 (とび, tobi) for the kite bird, and its simplified shape appears in personal names and place names.