懂中文 Dong Chinese

鸥

ōu

seagull

Phonosemantic compound. 鸟 represents the meaning and 区 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鷗.

Components
鸟 meaning component

鸟  Meaning component

niǎo, diǎo

  

bird

区 sound component

区  Sound component

qū, oū

  

area

Evolution

鸥 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
鸥 Traditional script Modern

Traditional script

Modern
鸥 Simplified script Modern

Simplified script

Modern
Definitions

鸥 (鷗) 

ōu

seagull, tern; Larus species (various); common gull

Most common words with 鸥
Freq.
Word
Meaning

海鸥

(bird species of China) mew gull (Larus canus)

鸥

common gull

红嘴鸥

(bird species of China) black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)