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鱻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鱻xiānfresh, delicious; rare, fewx, 33 strokes, radical 魚
xiān(xian1)xian T1
  1. 1fresh, delicious; rare, few
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March 24, 2026

鱻xiān(xian1)

The character 鱻 (xiān) refers to the concept of freshness, particularly in relation to food, especially seafood. It can also convey the idea of rarity or something being few in number, highlighting the preciousness or special nature of the item in context.

Strokes33Radical魚
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, the freshness of seafood is highly valued, and dishes featuring 鱻 ingredients are often considered delicacies. This character reflects the cultural emphasis on quality and freshness in food preparation.

Memory tip

Imagine a fresh fish swimming in clear waters, its scales shimmering like the rarest jewels. 'Xiān' sounds like 'sian', reminiscent of 'scent'—the delightful aroma of fresh seafood that fills the air, making it unforgettable.

Meanings of 鱻

xiān(xian1)
1fresh, delicious; rare, few
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 鱻

鱻Simplified
33Strokes
魚Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鱻

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Podcast: 鱻

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AI study notes for 鱻

Quick Contrast

鲜 (xiān) - use 鱻 (xiān) when emphasizing the rarity or preciousness of the freshness, while 鲜 (xiān) focuses more on the freshness itself without the connotation of rarity.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 鱻 with other characters relating to freshness, such as 新 (xīn), which means new. It's important to use 鱻 in culinary contexts or when describing items that are not just fresh but also rare. Remember that this character is more formal and may not be used in everyday conversations.

HSK Study Tips

While 鱻 is not included in the HSK curriculum, it connects to HSK Level 4 vocabulary related to food and quality. Focus on recognizing it in menus or culinary discussions, and practice pairing it with other food-related terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 鱻 to describe non-food items. For example, saying '这本书很鱻' (This book is very fresh) is incorrect; it should be used only for fresh food or rare items.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鱻

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Etymology of 鱻

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 鱼 represents the meaning and 羊 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鮮.

Memory hint

A fresh catch of fish 魚

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 鱻?

Decomposition of 鱻

IDS Structure⿱魚⿰魚魚
鱻Full character
=
魚yu2
top
魚yu2
left
魚yu2
right
Exercise 1 of 1

Parts

Which of these is part of 鱻?

How to say fresh, delicious; rare, few in Chinese

“fresh, delicious; rare, few” in Chinese is鱻xiān

The character 鱻 (xiān) refers to the concept of freshness, particularly in relation to food, especially seafood. It can also convey the idea of rarity or something being few in number, highlighting the preciousness or special nature of the item in context.

When to use 鱻

Learners often confuse 鱻 with other characters relating to freshness, such as 新 (xīn), which means new. It's important to use 鱻 in culinary contexts or when describing items that are not just fresh but also rare. Remember that this character is more formal and may not be used in everyday conversations.

鱻 or something close to it

鲜 (xiān) - use 鱻 (xiān) when emphasizing the rarity or preciousness of the freshness, while 鲜 (xiān) focuses more on the freshness itself without the connotation of rarity.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 鱻 to describe non-food items. For example, saying '这本书很鱻' (This book is very fresh) is incorrect; it should be used only for fresh food or rare items.

Write 鱻

鱻

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

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Word Family of 鱻

Words containing this character20
新鲜xīnxiānfreshness新鮮
朝鲜North Korea朝鮮
鲜xiānfresh鮮
鲜血xiānxuèblood鮮血
鲜花xiānhuāflower鮮花
鲜明xiānmíngbright鮮明
海鲜hǎixiānseafood海鮮
鲜活xiānhuóvivid鮮活
鲜艳xiānyànbright-colored鮮艷
朝鲜半岛Korean Peninsula朝鮮半島
鲜奶fresh milk鮮奶
鲜美xiānměidelicious鮮美
鲜红scarlet鮮紅
鲜为人知secret to all but a few鮮為人知
南朝鲜South Korea南朝鮮
屡见不鲜a common occurrence (idiom)屢見不鮮
光鲜bright and neat光鮮
鲜卑Xianbei or Xianbi, group of northern nomadic peoples鮮卑
鲜亮vivid鮮亮
旗帜鲜明to show one's colors旗幟鮮明
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 鱻

What does 新鲜 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 鱻

You might say '这道菜的鱼非常鱻' (The fish in this dish is very fresh).

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