The Kanji: 鳥 (Chō / Tori)
The kanji 鳥 means "bird." It is a pictographic character that visually depicts a perching bird with a head, body, wings, and tail feathers. This character represents all types of birds, from small songbirds to large fowl.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 鳥 (tori) - Bird
鳥が空を飛んでいる。
"A bird is flying in the sky."
2. 小鳥 (kotori) - Small bird
小鳥のさえずりが聞こえる。
"I can hear small birds chirping."
3. 野鳥 (yachō) - Wild bird
野鳥を観察する。
"Observe wild birds."
4. 鳥居 (torii) - Shrine gate
神社の鳥居をくぐる。
"Pass through the shrine gate (torii)."
In summary, 鳥 is the fundamental kanji for birds, used for the animals themselves (鳥, 小鳥, 野鳥) and appearing in cultural structures like the 鳥居, which marks the entrance to sacred Shinto grounds.