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鱣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鱣zhānsturgeonx, 24 strokes, radical 魚
zhān(zhan1) T1
  1. 1sturgeon
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鱣zhān(zhan1)

The character 鱣 (zhān) refers to sturgeon, a type of fish known for its roe, which is processed into caviar. Sturgeons are often associated with luxury and gourmet dining, particularly in dishes that highlight their delicacy. This character is less common in everyday conversation but may be encountered in culinary contexts or discussions about aquatic life.

Strokes24Radical魚
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, sturgeon is often regarded as a delicacy, and its roe is highly prized, particularly in dishes like caviar. The consumption of sturgeon reflects the importance of seafood in many regional diets and festive occasions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand banquet where a giant sturgeon (鱣) swims elegantly by, its shiny scales reflecting the light. The character features the fish radical (魚) on the bottom, emphasizing its aquatic nature. The top part resembles the tail, helping you remember 'zhān' as the sound of a fish splashing in water.

Meanings of 鱣

zhān(zhan1)
1sturgeon
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鱣

鱣Simplified
24Strokes
魚Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鱣

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Podcast: 鱣

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AI Study Notes for 鱣

Usage Notes

While 鱣 is specific to sturgeon, learners should be aware that it may not be commonly used in casual conversation. Instead, it often appears in specialized contexts like cuisine or fishery discussions. Be careful to pronounce it with the correct tone to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鱣 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to HSK Level 4 vocabulary about animals and food. Students should focus on recognizing and using related terms for fish and seafood, enhancing their understanding of culinary vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鱣 with other fish names due to the similarity in sound and appearance. For instance, they might mistakenly use 魚 (yú) instead of 鱣 when discussing sturgeon. It's essential to remember that 鱣 specifically denotes sturgeon, not just any fish.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鱣

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Etymology of 鱣

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

fish

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鱣

  1. 1The meaning half魚 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half亶 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 鱣? 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 鱣?

Decomposition of 鱣

IDS Structure⿰魚亶
鱣Full Character
=
魚yu2
left
亶Dan3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鱣?

How to say sturgeon in Chinese

“sturgeon” in Chinese is鱣zhān

The character 鱣 (zhān) refers to sturgeon, a type of fish known for its roe, which is processed into caviar. Sturgeons are often associated with luxury and gourmet dining, particularly in dishes that highlight their delicacy. This character is less common in everyday conversation but may be encountered in culinary contexts or discussions about aquatic life.

When to use 鱣

While 鱣 is specific to sturgeon, learners should be aware that it may not be commonly used in casual conversation. Instead, it often appears in specialized contexts like cuisine or fishery discussions. Be careful to pronounce it with the correct tone to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鱣 with other fish names due to the similarity in sound and appearance. For instance, they might mistakenly use 魚 (yú) instead of 鱣 when discussing sturgeon. It's essential to remember that 鱣 specifically denotes sturgeon, not just any fish.

Write 鱣

鱣

Practice writing 鱣 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 鱣

Words Containing This Character1
鳣shànsturgeon (old)鱣
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 鳣 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鱣

While 鱣 specifically refers to sturgeon, other characters like 魚 (yú) broadly represent fish. Each fish character can denote different species, so context is key.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鱣?

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