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魠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
魠tuōJapanese mackerelx, 14 strokes, radical 魚
tuō(tuo1)tuo T1
  1. 1Japanese mackerel
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March 24, 2026

魠tuō(tuo1)

The character 魠 (tuō) refers specifically to the Japanese mackerel, a type of fish often used in Asian cuisines. It highlights the importance of seafood in Chinese culinary practices, particularly in coastal regions where fresh fish is a staple ingredient.

Strokes14Radical魚
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, fish symbolizes abundance and prosperity, especially during the Lunar New Year. 魠, being a specific fish type, reflects the regional preferences in cuisine and the diversity of fish used in traditional dishes.

Memory tip

Imagine a fish swimming in the ocean, with the character 魠 looking like a fish with fins. The left part 魚 (fish) suggests its meaning related to seafood, while the pronunciation 'tuō' can remind you of 'tossing' a fish into a pan for cooking.

Meanings of 魠

tuō(tuo1)
1Japanese mackerel
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 魠

魠Simplified
14Strokes
魚Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 魠

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Podcast: 魠

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AI Study Notes for 魠

Usage Notes

This character is primarily used in culinary contexts and may not be familiar in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar seafood terms, and note that it’s more common in written form than in spoken language.

HSK Study Tips

Although 魠 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be a useful supplement when discussing food. Focus on connecting it with other seafood-related vocabulary to enhance your culinary lexicon.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 魠 with other fish characters like 魚 (yú) which means 'fish' in general. Remember that 魠 specifically denotes Japanese mackerel, not just any fish.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 魠

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Etymology of 魠

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

fish

Semantic (meaning)魚
+
Phonetic (sound)乇
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

魠 = 魚 + 乇. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 魠

IDS Structure⿰魚乇
魠Full character
=
魚yu2
left
乇tuo1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 魠?

How to say Japanese mackerel in Chinese

“Japanese mackerel” in Chinese is魠tuō

The character 魠 (tuō) refers specifically to the Japanese mackerel, a type of fish often used in Asian cuisines. It highlights the importance of seafood in Chinese culinary practices, particularly in coastal regions where fresh fish is a staple ingredient.

When to use 魠

This character is primarily used in culinary contexts and may not be familiar in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar seafood terms, and note that it’s more common in written form than in spoken language.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 魠 with other fish characters like 魚 (yú) which means 'fish' in general. Remember that 魠 specifically denotes Japanese mackerel, not just any fish.

Write 魠

魠

Practice writing 魠 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 魠

Words containing this character1
魠tuōJapanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius)

Frequently Asked Questions about 魠

It means Japanese mackerel, a type of fish.

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