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鲐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鲐táimackerel; Pneumatophorus japonicusg, 13 strokes, radical 鱼
鲐táiPacific mackerel (Pneumatophorus japonicus)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 鱼
tái(tai2) T2
  1. 1mackerel; Pneumatophorus japonicus
  2. 2Pacific mackerel (Pneumatophorus japonicus)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鲐(鮐)tái(tai2)

The character 鲐 (tái) refers to a type of mackerel, specifically the Pacific mackerel, which is commonly found in East Asian waters. This fish is often used in various culinary dishes and holds significance in local cuisine. It is a term primarily used in contexts related to cooking, fishing, and marine biology.

Strokes13Radical鱼
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, mackerel is often prepared grilled or braised and is a popular choice for family meals, especially in coastal regions. Its significance is highlighted during seafood festivals where various fish dishes are celebrated.

Memory Tip

Imagine a fish swimming in the ocean, with the sound of 'tái' as the splashing waves. The character 鲐 resembles a fish with its radical '鱼' (yú) meaning 'fish,' while the phonetic component '台' (tái) can remind you of a 'table,' where you might serve a delicious fish dish.

Meanings of 鲐

tái(tai2)
1mackerel; Pneumatophorus japonicus
2Pacific mackerel (Pneumatophorus japonicus)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鲐

鲐Simplified
鮐Traditional
13Strokes
鱼Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鲐

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Podcast: 鲐

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AI Study Notes for 鲐

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 鲐 with similar fish names like 鮪 (wěi, tuna) or 鲑 (guī, salmon). This term is more informal and specific to culinary contexts, so it might not be suitable for formal discussions about marine life. Common collocations include 鲐鱼 (tái yú, mackerel fish) and 鲐的做法 (tái de zuòfǎ, mackerel cooking methods).

HSK Study Tips

Although 鲐 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be connected to HSK level vocabulary related to food and animals. Students at this level should focus on recognizing fish-related terms and practicing pronunciation to avoid confusion with similar-sounding words.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 鲐 as 'tāi' instead of 'tái', confusing it with other tones. Additionally, some might mistakenly use it interchangeably with other fish names like 鮪 (tuna), which leads to inaccuracies in conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鲐

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Etymology of 鲐

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

fish

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鲐

  1. 1The meaning half鱼 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half台 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 鲐? 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 鲐?

Decomposition of 鲐

IDS Structure⿰鱼台
鲐Full Character
=
鱼Yu2
left
台Tai2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鲐?

How to say mackerel; Pneumatophorus japonicus in Chinese

“mackerel; Pneumatophorus japonicus” in Chinese is鲐tái

The character 鲐 (tái) refers to a type of mackerel, specifically the Pacific mackerel, which is commonly found in East Asian waters. This fish is often used in various culinary dishes and holds significance in local cuisine. It is a term primarily used in contexts related to cooking, fishing, and marine biology.

When to use 鲐

Be careful not to confuse 鲐 with similar fish names like 鮪 (wěi, tuna) or 鲑 (guī, salmon). This term is more informal and specific to culinary contexts, so it might not be suitable for formal discussions about marine life. Common collocations include 鲐鱼 (tái yú, mackerel fish) and 鲐的做法 (tái de zuòfǎ, mackerel cooking methods).

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 鲐 as 'tāi' instead of 'tái', confusing it with other tones. Additionally, some might mistakenly use it interchangeably with other fish names like 鮪 (tuna), which leads to inaccuracies in conversation.

Write 鲐

鲐

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

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Word Family of 鲐

Words Containing This Character1
鲐táimackerel鮐
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 鲐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鲐

It is pronounced as 'tái', with a rising tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鲐?

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.