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鲅 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鲅bàChinese mackerelns, 13 strokes, radical 鱼
bà(ba4) T4
  1. 1Chinese mackerel
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鲅(鮁)bà(ba4)

The character 鲅 (bà) refers to the Chinese mackerel, a type of fish commonly found in East Asian waters. It is often used in culinary contexts, especially in dishes that highlight fresh seafood. Understanding this term can enhance your vocabulary related to food and dining in Chinese culture.

Strokes13Radical鱼
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, fresh seafood is highly valued, and dishes featuring 鲅 can often be found in coastal regions. The mackerel is appreciated for its flavor and is a popular choice in many traditional recipes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a big, shiny mackerel swimming in the ocean. The character 鲅 has the radical for fish (鱼) which resembles a fish swimming, and the sound 'bà' can remind you of 'bat,' which can be thought of as 'battling' the waves of the sea. Picture the mackerel bravely battling through the water!

Meanings of 鲅

bà(ba4)
1Chinese mackerel
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鲅

鲅Simplified
鮁Traditional
13Strokes
鱼Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鲅

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Podcast: 鲅

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AI Study Notes for 鲅

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 鲅 with similar fish-related characters like 鮁 (bà) or 鱼 (yú). It's important to use the correct character when discussing specific types of fish. This term is more common in informal contexts, especially when ordering food or discussing cooking.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鲅 is not in the HSK vocabulary list, it relates to Level 1 and 2 words like 鱼 (fish) and 吃 (to eat). Focus on the food-related vocabulary at this level to build a strong foundation for discussing meals and ingredients.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using 鲅 incorrectly in contexts unrelated to fish, such as in phrases about non-seafood dishes. Always pair it with words related to food or seafood to avoid confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鲅

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Etymology of 鲅

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

fish

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鲅

  1. 1The meaning half鱼 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half犮 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 鲅? 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 鲅?

Decomposition of 鲅

IDS Structure⿰鱼犮
鲅Full Character
=
鱼Yu2
left
犮ba2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鲅?

How to say Chinese mackerel in Chinese

“Chinese mackerel” in Chinese is鲅bà

The character 鲅 (bà) refers to the Chinese mackerel, a type of fish commonly found in East Asian waters. It is often used in culinary contexts, especially in dishes that highlight fresh seafood. Understanding this term can enhance your vocabulary related to food and dining in Chinese culture.

When to use 鲅

Learners often confuse 鲅 with similar fish-related characters like 鮁 (bà) or 鱼 (yú). It's important to use the correct character when discussing specific types of fish. This term is more common in informal contexts, especially when ordering food or discussing cooking.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is using 鲅 incorrectly in contexts unrelated to fish, such as in phrases about non-seafood dishes. Always pair it with words related to food or seafood to avoid confusion.

Write 鲅

鲅

Practice writing 鲅 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 鲅

Words Containing This Character3
鲅bàJapanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius)鮁
鲅鱼Japanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius)鮁魚
鲅鱼圈区Bayuquan district of Yingkou City 營口市|营口市, Liaoning鮁魚圈區
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 鲅 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鲅

It is pronounced as 'bà' with a falling tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鲅?

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