燕 (yàn): swallow (bird)

Measure Word

一只燕 zhī

Chūntiān lái le, yànzi fēi huílái le.

Spring is here, the swallows have flown back.

Yān guó shì Zhànguó Qīxióng zhī yī.

The State of Yan was one of the Seven Warring States.

mistakes

燕 has two pronunciations: yàn (swallow bird) and Yān (the ancient state and surname). 燕子 (yànzi, swallow) vs 燕国 (Yān guó, State of Yan).

culture

Swallows nesting under the eaves is a traditional symbol of good fortune in Chinese culture. The return of swallows marks the arrival of spring.

燕 yàn