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蛤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蛤géclamzg, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #14979, Very Hard
蛤géfrogunknown, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #14979, Very Hard
蛤gétoadunknown, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #14979, Very Hard
蛤háclamzg, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #14979, Very Hard
蛤háfrogunknown, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #14979, Very Hard
蛤hátoadunknown, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #14979, Very Hard
gé(ge2)ge
primary
T2
  1. 1clam
  2. 2frog
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蛤gé(ge2)

The character 蛤 (gé) primarily refers to clams, which are bivalve mollusks often found in marine environments. It can also denote frogs and toads, highlighting a broader category of amphibians. This character is commonly used in both culinary contexts, such as when discussing seafood, and in ecological discussions about amphibians.

Strokes12Radical虫Frequency#14979DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, clams (蛤) are often featured in dishes like clam soup and are considered a delicacy in coastal regions, reflecting the importance of seafood in Chinese culinary traditions.

Memory tip

Imagine a clam with a gaping mouth saying 'gè' as it eagerly awaits food. The character 蛤 looks like a shell (the top part) protecting the soft body inside (the bottom part), which can help you remember that it refers to clams.

Meanings of 蛤

gé(ge2)
primary
1clam
2frog
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 蛤

蛤Simplified
12Strokes
虫Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蛤

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Podcast: 蛤

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AI Study Notes for 蛤

Usage Notes

When using 蛤, it's important to note that it is more informal and typically used in everyday conversation rather than formal writing. Common collocations include 蛤蜊 (gé lí), meaning 'clam', and be cautious with tone, as mispronunciation could lead to confusion with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

While 蛤 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, its components can help learners recognize characters related to animals and food. Students should focus on the radicals 蛙 (wā) for frog and 蛤 (gé) for clam to build a connection between related terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蛤 with 蛙 (wā) due to their similar appearance and sound. For example, saying '我喜欢蛙' (I like frogs) when you meant '蛤' (clams) can lead to misunderstanding.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蛤

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Etymology of 蛤

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

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 合 represents the sound.

Memory hint

mollusk

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

Origin

蛤 = 虫 + 合. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 蛤

IDS Structure⿰虫合
蛤Full character
=
虫chong2
left
合ge3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 蛤?

How to say clam in Chinese

“clam” in Chinese is蛤gé

The character 蛤 (gé) primarily refers to clams, which are bivalve mollusks often found in marine environments. It can also denote frogs and toads, highlighting a broader category of amphibians. This character is commonly used in both culinary contexts, such as when discussing seafood, and in ecological discussions about amphibians.

When to use 蛤

When using 蛤, it's important to note that it is more informal and typically used in everyday conversation rather than formal writing. Common collocations include 蛤蜊 (gé lí), meaning 'clam', and be cautious with tone, as mispronunciation could lead to confusion with other characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蛤 with 蛙 (wā) due to their similar appearance and sound. For example, saying '我喜欢蛙' (I like frogs) when you meant '蛤' (clams) can lead to misunderstanding.

Write 蛤

蛤

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

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Grammar Patterns of 蛤

蛤 carries 3 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 4

Fill the gap

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

在台风天的拾 ____蜊 也是份危险的工作.

Go clamming is also a dangerous work with a willy - willy ( typhoon ).

Example Sentences for 蛤 (3)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
在台风天的拾 蛤蜊 也是份危险的工作.

zài táifēng tiān de shè gé lí yě shì fèn wēixiǎn de gōngzuò.

Go clamming is also a dangerous work with a willy - willy ( typhoon ).
2
他们常去浅滩拾蛤蜊.

tāmen cháng qù jiān tān shè gé lí.

They often go clamming.
3
目的探讨蛤蚧防喘丸对支气管哮喘的治疗作用.

mùdì tàntǎo gé jiè fáng chuǎn wán duì zhī qìguǎn xiāo chuǎn de zhìliáo zuòyòng.

Objective : To approach the therapeutic action of Gejie Fangchuan pills in treating Asthma.

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Word Family of 蛤

Words containing this character8
蛤géfrog
蛤蟆frog
蛤蜊clam
癞蛤蟆toad癩蛤蟆
文蛤clam
蛤蚧tokay gecko (Gekko gecko), used in TCM
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
蛤蚌clam
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 蛤

What does 蛤蟆 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蛤

蛤 refers to clams and similar shellfish, while 蛙 specifically refers to frogs.

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