羽

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 羽 is read as はね and is a noun meaning either an individual feather or a bird's wing.
• Basic usage: A loose feather appears in 鳥の羽を拾う, while a crane's wings appear in 羽を広げる.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Two senses: feather and wing
  • Context distinguishes one feather that can be picked up from the complete wing attached to a bird.
• Difference from 翼
  • 翼 clearly denotes the wing structure used for flight, whereas 羽 can mean both feathers and a bird's wings in ordinary usage.