鶴

The elegant long-legged bird often associated with longevity and nobility in East Asian culture.

It is generally considered a phono-semantic compound:

隺 (각, lofty, noble) - phonetic component, provides the sound, also conveys the idea of height and loftiness, matching the crane’s tall body and elevated, dignified appearance.

鳥 (bird) - provides the meaning.

Some scholars also view it as an ideogrammic compound, interpreting it as a pictorial combination expressing the concept of a particular type of bird – the crane.

학 (鶴) — crane

백학 (白鶴) — white crane

학수 (鶴壽) — crane-like longevity

학문 (鶴紋) — crane motif or pattern

군학 (群鶴) — a flock of cranes

학립 (鶴立) — standing like a crane (upright, dignified)

In classical poetry, 鶴 often implies:

- withdrawal from worldly affairs

- life of a recluse or sage

- spiritual elevation

Example interpretation:

a lone crane → hermit scholar

cranes among clouds → transcendence

Related characters:

鳥 — bird

鳳 — phoenix

鸞 — mythical noble bird

隺 — tall; lofty (phonetic ancestor)

鶴 is frequently used in personal names, especially with connotations of elegance or longevity.

In compounds, it often functions symbolically rather than zoologically.

Unlike many animal characters, 鶴 has consistently positive connotations across cultures.