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

HSK 3

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.

HSK 7-9

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