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鲡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鲡líeelx, 15 strokes, radical 鱼
lí(li2) T2
  1. 1eel
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鲡(鱺)lí(li2)

The character 鲡 (lí) refers specifically to an eel, a type of long, snake-like fish commonly found in both freshwater and saltwater. Eels are often used in various cuisines, particularly in Asian dishes, and can symbolize resilience and adaptability in Chinese culture.

Strokes15Radical鱼
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, eel is often seen as a delicacy and is associated with health benefits, particularly during the summer months when it's traditionally consumed to replenish energy lost through sweat. Some regions have specific dishes like grilled eel (鳗鱼) that are popular.

Memory Tip

Imagine an eel (鲡) swimming swiftly in a river. The character has a fish radical (鱼) on the left, indicating it's a type of fish, while the right part sounds like 'li', reminiscent of the slippery, sleek movement of an eel as it glides through the water.

Meanings of 鲡

lí(li2)
1eel
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鲡

鲡Simplified
鱺Traditional
15Strokes
鱼Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鲡

JasonAmy

Podcast: 鲡

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AI Study Notes for 鲡

Usage Notes

When using 鲡, it is important to be clear that it refers specifically to eels, as there are many types of fish in Chinese. Common collocations include '吃鲡' (to eat eel) and '鲡鱼汤' (eel soup). Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words, especially in tonal pronunciation.

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in the HSK levels, understanding 鲡 can enhance vocabulary related to food and aquatic life. Learners should focus on the fish radical and other related vocabulary such as 鱼 (fish) and 鳗 (mullet), which share similar contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鲡 with other fish characters due to similar sounds or radicals. For example, saying '鲡鱼' instead of simply '鲡' can be redundant, as 鲡 already indicates a type of fish.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鲡

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Etymology of 鲡

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

fish

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鲡

  1. 1The meaning half鱼 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half丽 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 鲡? 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 鲡?

Decomposition of 鲡

IDS Structure⿰鱼丽
鲡Full Character
=
鱼Yu2
left
丽Li2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鲡?

How to say eel in Chinese

“eel” in Chinese is鲡lí

The character 鲡 (lí) refers specifically to an eel, a type of long, snake-like fish commonly found in both freshwater and saltwater. Eels are often used in various cuisines, particularly in Asian dishes, and can symbolize resilience and adaptability in Chinese culture.

When to use 鲡

When using 鲡, it is important to be clear that it refers specifically to eels, as there are many types of fish in Chinese. Common collocations include '吃鲡' (to eat eel) and '鲡鱼汤' (eel soup). Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words, especially in tonal pronunciation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鲡 with other fish characters due to similar sounds or radicals. For example, saying '鲡鱼' instead of simply '鲡' can be redundant, as 鲡 already indicates a type of fish.

Write 鲡

鲡

Practice writing 鲡 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 鲡

Words Containing This Character2
鳗鲡eel鰻鱺
鲡líeel鱺
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 鳗鲡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鲡

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

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鲡?

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.