天鹅

天鵝

tiān'é

noun HSK 7-9 #11,648

Measure Word

一只天鹅 zhī

Meanings

1 swan

Characters

Literally 'heavenly goose' — a goose so elegant it seems to belong to the sky.

Examples

湖面上有几只天鹅在游泳。

Húmiàn shàng yǒu jǐ zhī tiān'é zài yóuyǒng.

There are several swans swimming on the lake.

丑小鸭变成了美丽的天鹅。

Chǒuxiǎoyā biànchéng le měilì de tiān'é.

The ugly duckling turned into a beautiful swan.

Tips

culture

The phrase 癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉 (a toad wanting to eat swan meat) is a common Chinese saying meaning someone has unrealistically high ambitions, especially in romance — like an unattractive person pursuing someone out of their league.

In Pop Culture

天鹅湖 Tiān'éhú

Swan Lake

Chinese name for Tchaikovsky's famous ballet

Stroke Order

天 tiān

鹅 é