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鰂 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鰂zéicuttlefishx, 20 strokes, radical 魚
zéi(zei2) T2
  1. 1cuttlefish
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鰂zéi(zei2)

The character 鰂 (zéi) refers to cuttlefish, a type of marine animal known for its unique body structure and intelligence. Cuttlefish are often used in various culinary dishes, especially in coastal regions, and are known for their ability to change color and texture.

Strokes20Radical魚
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, cuttlefish is a popular ingredient, especially in dishes such as stir-fries and soups. It reflects the importance of seafood in coastal Chinese regions where fishing is a significant part of cultural heritage.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cuttlefish swimming gracefully in the ocean, with its body resembling a 'Z' shape (for the 'z' in 'zéi'). The character 鰂 combines the fish radical 魚, indicating it's a type of fish, with the unique form of the cuttlefish.

Meanings of 鰂

zéi(zei2)
1cuttlefish
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鰂

鰂Simplified
20Strokes
魚Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鰂

JasonAmy

Podcast: 鰂

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AI Study Notes for 鰂

Usage Notes

This term is more commonly used in culinary contexts, especially in seafood dishes. Be mindful of the tone; 'zéi' has a falling tone which can change the meaning if mispronounced. It’s often found in phrases related to seafood or cooking.

HSK Study Tips

Though 鰂 is not an HSK word, understanding this character can enhance vocabulary related to seafood and cooking, which are often emphasized in HSK levels 3 and 4. Focus on recognizing characters related to food as they often appear in daily conversations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鰂 with other seafood characters, such as 魚 (fish) or 墨魚 (squid). Ensure you remember that 鰂 specifically refers to cuttlefish.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鰂

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Etymology of 鰂

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

fish

Semantic (meaning)鱼
+
Phonetic (sound)則
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鰂

  1. 1The meaning half鱼 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half則 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfish
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 鰂? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 鰂?

Decomposition of 鰂

IDS Structure⿰魚則
鰂Full Character
=
魚yu2
left
則ze2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鰂?

How to say cuttlefish in Chinese

“cuttlefish” in Chinese is鰂zéi

The character 鰂 (zéi) refers to cuttlefish, a type of marine animal known for its unique body structure and intelligence. Cuttlefish are often used in various culinary dishes, especially in coastal regions, and are known for their ability to change color and texture.

When to use 鰂

This term is more commonly used in culinary contexts, especially in seafood dishes. Be mindful of the tone; 'zéi' has a falling tone which can change the meaning if mispronounced. It’s often found in phrases related to seafood or cooking.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鰂 with other seafood characters, such as 魚 (fish) or 墨魚 (squid). Ensure you remember that 鰂 specifically refers to cuttlefish.

Write 鰂

鰂

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 鰂

Words Containing This Character1
鲗zéicuttlefish鰂
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 鲗 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鰂

Cuttlefish is commonly used in dishes like stir-fried cuttlefish with vegetables or in seafood soups.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鰂?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.