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鳕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鳕xuěcodfishn, 19 strokes, radical 鱼, rank #41061, Very Hard
鳕xuěGadus macrocephalusunknown, 19 strokes, radical 鱼, rank #41061, Very Hard
xuě(xue3) T3
  1. 1codfish
  2. 2Gadus macrocephalus
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鳕(鱈)xuě(xue3)

The character 鳕 (xuě) refers to codfish, particularly the species Gadus macrocephalus. It is commonly used in culinary contexts, especially in dishes that feature seafood. In Chinese cuisine, codfish is appreciated for its delicate flavor and is often used in soups and stews.

Strokes19Radical鱼Frequency#41061DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Cod is a popular ingredient in coastal regions of China, especially in the north, where it is often featured in winter dishes. The use of codfish in Chinese cuisine highlights the importance of seafood in Chinese dietary habits, particularly in coastal provinces.

Memory Tip

Imagine a codfish swimming gracefully through the water, its sleek body gliding like a '雪' (xuě, snow) flake. The character 鳕 has 鳥 (bird) as a radical, which can remind you of 'flying fish' or the lightness of snow, helping you associate it with the aquatic nature of cod.

Meanings of 鳕

xuě(xue3)
1codfish
2Gadus macrocephalus
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鳕

鳕Simplified
鱈Traditional
19Strokes
鱼Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鳕

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Podcast: 鳕

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AI Study Notes for 鳕

Usage Notes

When using 鳕, be cautious about the context as it specifically refers to codfish, not just any fish. It is commonly used in both formal and informal settings, particularly in restaurant menus. A common phrase is '鳕鱼' (xuě yú), meaning codfish.

HSK Study Tips

Though 鳕 is not included in HSK levels, it relates to HSK vocabulary concerning food and fish. Students should focus on related terms like 鱼 (yú, fish) and other seafood-related words to build vocabulary around dining and culinary discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鳕 (cod) with other types of fish, mistakenly using it to refer to general fish. For example, saying '我喜欢吃鳕' (wǒ xǐhuān chī xuě) when they mean 'I like to eat fish' is incorrect; it should be '我喜欢吃鱼' (wǒ xǐhuān chī yú).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鳕

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Etymology of 鳕

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

Phonosemantic compound. 鱼 represents the meaning and 雪 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鱈.

Memory Hint

fish

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鳕

Phonosemantic compound. 鱼 represents the meaning and 雪 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鱈.

  1. 1The meaning half鱼 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half雪 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 鳕? 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 鳕?

Decomposition of 鳕

IDS Structure⿰鱼雪
鳕Full Character
=
鱼Yu2
left
雪Xue3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鳕?

How to say codfish in Chinese

“codfish” in Chinese is鳕xuě

The character 鳕 (xuě) refers to codfish, particularly the species Gadus macrocephalus. It is commonly used in culinary contexts, especially in dishes that feature seafood. In Chinese cuisine, codfish is appreciated for its delicate flavor and is often used in soups and stews.

When to use 鳕

When using 鳕, be cautious about the context as it specifically refers to codfish, not just any fish. It is commonly used in both formal and informal settings, particularly in restaurant menus. A common phrase is '鳕鱼' (xuě yú), meaning codfish.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鳕 (cod) with other types of fish, mistakenly using it to refer to general fish. For example, saying '我喜欢吃鳕' (wǒ xǐhuān chī xuě) when they mean 'I like to eat fish' is incorrect; it should be '我喜欢吃鱼' (wǒ xǐhuān chī yú).

Write 鳕

鳕

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 鳕

鳕 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

失____得鲱;失之东隅,收之桑榆.

What we lose in hake we shall have in herring.

Example Sentences for 鳕 (2)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
失鳕得鲱;失之东隅,收之桑榆.

shī xuě dé fēi; ; shī zhī dōng, yú , shōu zhī.

What we lose in hake we shall have in herring.
2
他们腌鳕鱼留着冬天吃.

tā mén ā xuě yú liú zháo dōng tiān chī.

They salt down cod for winter use.

Word Family of 鳕

Words Containing This Character2
鳕鱼cod鱈魚
鳕xuěcodfish鱈
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 鳕鱼 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鳕

鳕鱼 specifically refers to cod, which has a distinct taste and texture compared to other fish like 鲑鱼 (salmon) or 鲈鱼 (bass).

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