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March 24, 2026
鰥guān(guan1)
The character 鰥 (guān) primarily refers to a widower or a bachelor, signifying a man who has lost his wife. In some contexts, it can also denote a large fish. This term is less frequently used in everyday conversation but can be encountered in literature and formal discussions related to marital status.
Strokes21Radical魚Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, there is a significant emphasis on family and marital status, making terms like 鰥 important in discussions about societal roles. Widowers may be viewed with a mix of sympathy and respect, reflecting traditional values regarding marriage.
Memory Tip
Imagine a huge fish swimming alone in the ocean, representing a widower, symbolizing loneliness. The character 鰥 can be visualized as a fish (the radical 魚) combined with a lone representation of a man, highlighting the solitude of being a bachelor.
Meanings of 鰥
guān(guan1)
1huge fish; widower; bachelor
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About 鰥
鰥Simplified
21Strokes
魚Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 鰥
Podcast: 鰥
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AI Study Notes for 鰥
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a huge fish swimming alone in the ocean, representing a widower, symbolizing loneliness. The character 鰥 can be visualized as a fish (the radical 魚) combined with a lone representation of a man, highlighting the solitude of being a bachelor.
Usage Notes
This term is somewhat formal and not commonly used in casual conversations. Learners should be aware that mixing it up with terms like '单身' (dānshēn - single) might lead to misunderstandings regarding marital status. The character is pronounced with a falling tone, which is crucial for correct pronunciation.
HSK Study Tips
While 鰥 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your grasp of more advanced texts discussing relationships. Focus on related terms like '寡妇' (guǎfù - widow) to expand your vocabulary around marital statuses.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, there is a significant emphasis on family and marital status, making terms like 鰥 important in discussions about societal roles. Widowers may be viewed with a mix of sympathy and respect, reflecting traditional values regarding marriage.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 鰥 with other terms for 'single' or 'bachelor.' For example, saying '我鰥' (Wǒ guān - I am a bachelor) is incorrect; it should be '我单身' (Wǒ dānshēn - I am single).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 鰥
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Cultural Notes for 鰥
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, there is a significant emphasis on family and marital status, making terms like 鰥 important in discussions about societal roles. Widowers may be viewed with a mix of sympathy and respect, reflecting traditional values regarding marriage.
Word Family of 鰥
Words Containing This Character3
鳏夫widower鰥夫
鳏guānwidower鰥
鳏寡孤独fig. people with no one left to rely on鰥寡孤獨
Exercise 1 of 3
Compound Meaning
What does 鳏夫 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 鰥
You can say, '他是一个鰥, 生活得很孤单。' (He is a widower and lives a lonely life.)
No, 鰥 is more formal and is often found in literature or discussions about marital status.
The tone of 鰥 is the falling tone, which is the fourth tone in Mandarin.
