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獭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
獭tǎotterg, 16 strokes, radical 犭, rank #47650, Very Hard
獭tǎTaiwan pr. [ta4]unknown, 16 strokes, radical 犭, rank #47650, Very Hard
tǎ(ta3)ta T3
  1. 1otter
  2. 2Taiwan pr. [ta4]
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March 24, 2026

獭(獺)tǎ(ta3)

The character 獭 (tǎ) refers to an otter, a semi-aquatic mammal known for its playful behavior and agility in water. Commonly found in rivers and lakes, otters are often associated with nature and wildlife conservation in discussions about ecosystems.

Strokes16Radical犭Frequency#47650DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, animals like the otter symbolize playfulness and intelligence, often featured in folk tales and children's stories. They also play a role in discussions about environmental preservation, especially in regions where they are native.

Memory tip

Imagine an otter (獭) swimming gracefully in a river, its rounded body resembling the shape of the character itself. The radical 犬 (dog) hints at its animal nature, while the sound 'tǎ' can remind you of the playful splashes the otter makes as it dives.

Meanings of 獭

tǎ(ta3)
1otter
2Taiwan pr. [ta4]
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 獭

獭Simplified
獺Traditional
16Strokes
犭Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 獭

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Podcast: 獭

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AI study notes for 獭

Usage Notes

This word is relatively informal and might not be frequently used in everyday conversation unless discussing wildlife or ecology. Be mindful of the tone; mispronouncing it as tǎ can lead to confusion with other tones in Mandarin.

HSK Study Tips

Although 獭 is not included in the official HSK levels, it can be a useful addition for learners interested in animal vocabulary. Focus on the pronunciation and context to connect it with other animal-related terms like 狗 (gǒu, dog) and 猫 (māo, cat).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 獭 with other similar animal characters like 狐 (hú, fox) or 猫 (māo, cat). Remember that 獭 specifically means 'otter' and not any other animal.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 獭

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Etymology of 獭

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

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 赖 represents the sound. Simplified form of 獺.

Memory hint

animal

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

Origin

獭 = 犭 + 赖. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 獭

IDS Structure⿰犭赖
獭Full character
=
犭quan3
left
赖Lai4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 獭?

How to say otter in Chinese

“otter” in Chinese is獭tǎ

The character 獭 (tǎ) refers to an otter, a semi-aquatic mammal known for its playful behavior and agility in water. Commonly found in rivers and lakes, otters are often associated with nature and wildlife conservation in discussions about ecosystems.

When to use 獭

This word is relatively informal and might not be frequently used in everyday conversation unless discussing wildlife or ecology. Be mindful of the tone; mispronouncing it as tǎ can lead to confusion with other tones in Mandarin.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 獭 with other similar animal characters like 狐 (hú, fox) or 猫 (māo, cat). Remember that 獭 specifically means 'otter' and not any other animal.

Write 獭

獭

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

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Grammar patterns of 獭

獭 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

人们正试图把水____引诱回河里去.

An attempt is being made to entice otters back to the river.

Example sentences for 獭 (1)

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1
人们正试图把水獭引诱回河里去.

rénmen zhèng shìtú bǎ shuǐ tǎ yǐnyòu huí hé lǐ qù.

An attempt is being made to entice otters back to the river.

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Word Family of 獭

Words containing this character4
獭tǎotter獺
水獭otter水獺
海獭sea otter海獺
旱獭marmot旱獺
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 獭

What does 水獭 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 獭

The correct pronunciation is tǎ, with a falling tone.

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