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蚌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
蚌
bèng
oysters, mussels; mother-of-pearl
ns, 10 strokes, radical 虫, rank #22758, Very Hard
蚌
bèng
mussel
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 虫, rank #22758, Very Hard
蚌
bèng
clam
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 虫, rank #22758, Very Hard
蚌
bèng
abbr. for Bengbu prefecture level city 蚌埠市[Beng4 bu4 shi4], Anhui
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 虫, rank #22758, Very Hard
蚌
bàng
oysters, mussels; mother-of-pearl
ns, 10 strokes, radical 虫, rank #22758, Very Hard
蚌
bàng
mussel
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 虫, rank #22758, Very Hard
蚌
bàng
clam
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 虫, rank #22758, Very Hard
蚌
bàng
abbr. for Bengbu prefecture level city 蚌埠市[Beng4 bu4 shi4], Anhui
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 虫, rank #22758, Very Hard
bàng(bang4)bang
primary
T4
1oysters, mussels; mother-of-pearl
2mussel
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March 24, 2026
蚌bàng(bang4)
The character 蚌 (bàng) primarily refers to oysters and mussels, which are types of shellfish. It is often associated with mother-of-pearl, a lustrous material found inside some mollusks. This character can also be used in specific geographic contexts, such as the abbreviation for Bengbu, a city in Anhui province.
Strokes10Radical虫Frequency#22758DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese cuisine, oysters and mussels are considered delicacies and are often featured in coastal regional dishes. The concept of mother-of-pearl also holds significance in traditional Chinese art and decor.
Memory tip
Imagine an oyster (蚌) with its shiny mother-of-pearl lining. The character looks like a shell with a pearl inside, and you can remember its pronunciation 'bàng' by thinking of a 'bang!' sound made when you crack open a shell to reveal its treasure.
Meanings of 蚌
bàng(bang4)
primary
1oysters, mussels; mother-of-pearl
2mussel
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 蚌
蚌Simplified
10Strokes
虫Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 蚌
Podcast: 蚌
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AI study notes for 蚌
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 蚌 with similar characters that denote other types of seafood. This term is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in culinary discussions. Common collocations include 蚌壳 (bàngkè - shell) and 珍珠蚌 (zhēnzhū bàng - pearl oyster).
HSK Study Tips
While 蚌 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it connects to food-related terms encountered in HSK levels 3 and 4. Students should focus on recognizing it in context, especially in discussions about seafood and culinary vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 蚌 with 贝 (bèi), which is a general term for shell or shellfish. For example, using 蚌 incorrectly in place of 贝 in the phrase 贝类 (bèi lèi - shellfish) can lead to confusion. The correct term for shellfish in general is 贝类.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 蚌
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蚌 = 虫 + 丰. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 蚌
IDS Structure⿰虫丰
蚌Full character
=
虫chong2
left
丰feng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 蚌?
How to say oysters, mussels; mother-of-pearl in Chinese
“oysters, mussels; mother-of-pearl” in Chinese is蚌bèng
The character 蚌 (bàng) primarily refers to oysters and mussels, which are types of shellfish. It is often associated with mother-of-pearl, a lustrous material found inside some mollusks. This character can also be used in specific geographic contexts, such as the abbreviation for Bengbu, a city in Anhui province.
When to use 蚌
Be cautious not to confuse 蚌 with similar characters that denote other types of seafood. This term is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in culinary discussions. Common collocations include 蚌壳 (bàngkè - shell) and 珍珠蚌 (zhēnzhū bàng - pearl oyster).
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 蚌 with 贝 (bèi), which is a general term for shell or shellfish. For example, using 蚌 incorrectly in place of 贝 in the phrase 贝类 (bèi lèi - shellfish) can lead to confusion. The correct term for shellfish in general is 贝类.
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蚌
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Word Family of 蚌
Words containing this character8
蚌bàngmussel
蚌埠Bengbu prefecture-level city in Anhui
蚌埠市Bengbu prefecture-level city in Anhui
河蚌mussels
蚌壳clamshell蚌殼
鹬蚌相争lit. sandpiper and clam war together (and the fisherman catches both) (idiom); fig. neighbors who can't agree lose out to a third party鷸蚌相爭
蛤蚌clam
老蚌生珠lit. an old oyster producing a pearl (idiom)
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 蚌
What does 蚌埠 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 蚌
蚌 specifically refers to oysters and mussels, while other characters like 鱼 (yú - fish) or 虾 (xiā - shrimp) denote different types of seafood.
You can say '我喜欢吃蚌' (Wǒ xǐhuān chī bàng) meaning 'I like to eat oysters/mussels.'
There are no widely recognized idiomatic expressions specifically using 蚌, but it can be found in regional dishes or names.
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