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鱄 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鱄zhuānanchovyx, 22 strokes, radical 魚
鱄zhuānsurname Zhuanunknown, 22 strokes, radical 魚
zhuān(Zhuan1) T1
  1. 1anchovy
Also a Chinese surname, Zhuan — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鱄zhuān(Zhuan1)

The character 鱄 (zhuān) primarily refers to a type of small fish known as anchovy, commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It can also be a surname, Zhuan, though this usage is less common. In culinary contexts, anchovies are valued for their strong flavor and are often used in sauces and dishes.

Strokes22Radical魚
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, anchovies are often used in traditional dishes and sauces, highlighting the importance of fish in Chinese dining culture. They represent not just food, but also the regional flavors of coastal areas.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny fish swimming in the ocean, and think of the sound 'zhuan' as it swims in circles. The character 鱄 is composed of the fish radical 魚 (yú) on the left, representing its fishy nature, and the component 专 (zhuān) on the right, which sounds like 'zhuan' and means 'special'—a special little fish!

Meanings of 鱄

zhuān(Zhuan1)
1anchovy
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鱄

鱄Simplified
22Strokes
魚Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鱄

JasonAmy

Podcast: 鱄

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 鱄

Usage Notes

When using this word, ensure that you are in the appropriate culinary context to avoid confusion with other types of fish. It is an informal term and should be used in everyday conversations about food. Beware of the tone; 'zhuān' is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced.

HSK Study Tips

Though 鱄 (zhuān) is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it can be connected to HSK Level 3 food-related words. Students should focus on the pronunciation and context of use, especially in culinary discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鱄 with similar sounding fish names or characters. For example, using 鱄 when referring to a different type of fish like 鲱 (herring) is incorrect; always check the specific word for the type of fish.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鱄

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Etymology of 鱄

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

fish

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鱄

  1. 1The meaning half魚 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half專 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 鱄? 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 鱄?

Decomposition of 鱄

IDS Structure⿰魚專
鱄Full Character
=
魚yu2
left
專zhuan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鱄?

How to say anchovy in Chinese

“anchovy” in Chinese is鱄zhuān

The character 鱄 (zhuān) primarily refers to a type of small fish known as anchovy, commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It can also be a surname, Zhuan, though this usage is less common. In culinary contexts, anchovies are valued for their strong flavor and are often used in sauces and dishes.

When to use 鱄

When using this word, ensure that you are in the appropriate culinary context to avoid confusion with other types of fish. It is an informal term and should be used in everyday conversations about food. Beware of the tone; 'zhuān' is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鱄 with similar sounding fish names or characters. For example, using 鱄 when referring to a different type of fish like 鲱 (herring) is incorrect; always check the specific word for the type of fish.

Write 鱄

鱄

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 鱄

It means 'anchovy' and can also be a surname Zhuan.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鱄?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.