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鵝 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
égoosex, 18 strokes, radical 鳥, rank #70555, Very Hard
é(e2) T2
  1. 1goose
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
é(e2)

The character 鵝 (é) means 'goose.' It is commonly used to refer to the bird itself and can also appear in idiomatic expressions or culinary contexts, especially in relation to dishes made from goose. The character is more specific than the general term for bird, 鳥 (niǎo), which encompasses all birds.

Strokes18RadicalFrequency#70555DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, goose is often associated with traditional dishes, especially during celebrations and festivals. Dishes like 鵝肉飯 (éròu fàn) are popular in various regional cuisines.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large, white goose swimming gracefully in a pond. The character 鵝 has a 'bird' radical (鳥) on top, reminding you it's a type of bird. Think of the sound 'é' as the honking of a goose, making it easier to remember both its form and pronunciation.

Meanings of 鵝

é(e2)
1goose
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鵝

Simplified
18Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鵝

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 鵝

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a large, white goose swimming gracefully in a pond. The character 鵝 has a 'bird' radical (鳥) on top, reminding you it's a type of bird. Think of the sound 'é' as the honking of a goose, making it easier to remember both its form and pronunciation.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 鵝 (é) with 鴨 (yā), which means 'duck.' 鵝 is often used in culinary discussions, particularly when discussing Chinese dishes, such as 鵝肉 (éròu), meaning 'goose meat.' Use the correct tone to avoid misunderstandings, as tone changes can alter meaning.

HSK Study Tips

This character is not part of the standardized HSK levels but is valuable for learners interested in food or animals. Students should focus on recognizing the character in context, especially in menus or discussions about wildlife.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, goose is often associated with traditional dishes, especially during celebrations and festivals. Dishes like 鵝肉飯 (éròu fàn) are popular in various regional cuisines.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鵝 (é) with 鴨 (yā) due to similar contexts. For example, saying '我想吃鴨肉' (wǒ xiǎng chī yā ròu) when intending to refer to goose meat instead of '鵝肉' (éròu) is a common mistake.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鵝

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Etymology of 鵝

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

Phonosemantic compound. 鸟 represents the meaning and 我 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鵝.

Memory Hint

bird

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 鵝?

Decomposition of 鵝

IDS Structure⿰我鳥
Full Character
=
wo3
left
niao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鵝?

Write 鵝

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

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Cultural Notes for 鵝

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, goose is often associated with traditional dishes, especially during celebrations and festivals. Dishes like 鵝肉飯 (éròu fàn) are popular in various regional cuisines.

Word Family of 鵝

Words Containing This Character16
égoose
企鹅penguin企鵝
天鹅tiān’éswan天鵝
天鹅绒velvet天鵝絨
鹅卵石pebble鵝卵石
鹅毛goose feather鵝毛
天鹅湖Swan Lake天鵝湖
鹅毛大雪goose feather snow (idiom)鵝毛大雪
鹅绒goose down鵝絨
癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉lit. the toad wants to eat swan meat (idiom)癩蛤蟆想吃天鵝肉
鹅掌楸Chinese tulip tree鵝掌楸
千里送鹅毛goose feather sent from afar (idiom); a trifling present with a weighty thought behind it千里送鵝毛
鹅喉羚goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) of Xinjiang鵝喉羚
天鹅座Cygnus (constellation)天鵝座
鹅銮鼻Cape Eluanpi or Eluanbi, southernmost point of Taiwan Island鵝鑾鼻
千里鹅毛also written 千里送鵝毛|千里送鹅毛[qiān​lǐ​sòng​'é​máo]千里鵝毛
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 鹅 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鵝

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