míng​dí

honk

míng cry of bird or animal Simplified

The sound  a bird  makes

Components

Meaning component
kǒu, kou mouth
Meaning component
niǎo bird

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

bamboo flute

A bamboo ⺮ flute 

Components

Meaning component
zhú bamboo
Meaning component
yóu cause

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartdeklˤiwkflute
Zhengzhangl'ɯːwɢ
Unicodedhek

說文解字

七孔筩也。从竹由聲。羌笛三孔。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-SagartZhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica

míng cry of bird or animal Traditional

The sound  a bird  makes

Components

Meaning component
kǒu, kou mouth
Meaning component
niǎo bird

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn ~500 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagartmjængm.reŋcry (of birds or animals)
Zhengzhangmreŋ
Unicodemiæng

說文解字

鳥聲也。从鳥从口。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-SagartZhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica