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鲅 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
Chinese mackerelns, 13 strokes, radical 鱼, Very Hard
(ba4) T4
  1. 1Chinese mackerel
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(鮁)(ba4)

The character 鲅 (bà) refers to the Chinese mackerel, a type of fish commonly found in East Asian waters. It is often used in culinary contexts, especially in dishes that highlight fresh seafood. Understanding this term can enhance your vocabulary related to food and dining in Chinese culture.

Strokes13RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, fresh seafood is highly valued, and dishes featuring 鲅 can often be found in coastal regions. The mackerel is appreciated for its flavor and is a popular choice in many traditional recipes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a big, shiny mackerel swimming in the ocean. The character 鲅 has the radical for fish (鱼) which resembles a fish swimming, and the sound 'bà' can remind you of 'bat,' which can be thought of as 'battling' the waves of the sea. Picture the mackerel bravely battling through the water!

Meanings of 鲅

(ba4)
1Chinese mackerel
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鲅

Simplified
Traditional
13Strokes
Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鲅

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 鲅

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a big, shiny mackerel swimming in the ocean. The character 鲅 has the radical for fish (鱼) which resembles a fish swimming, and the sound 'bà' can remind you of 'bat,' which can be thought of as 'battling' the waves of the sea. Picture the mackerel bravely battling through the water!

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 鲅 with similar fish-related characters like 鮁 (bà) or 鱼 (yú). It's important to use the correct character when discussing specific types of fish. This term is more common in informal contexts, especially when ordering food or discussing cooking.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鲅 is not in the HSK vocabulary list, it relates to Level 1 and 2 words like 鱼 (fish) and 吃 (to eat). Focus on the food-related vocabulary at this level to build a strong foundation for discussing meals and ingredients.

Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, fresh seafood is highly valued, and dishes featuring 鲅 can often be found in coastal regions. The mackerel is appreciated for its flavor and is a popular choice in many traditional recipes.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using 鲅 incorrectly in contexts unrelated to fish, such as in phrases about non-seafood dishes. Always pair it with words related to food or seafood to avoid confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鲅

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Etymology of 鲅

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

fish

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 鲅?

Decomposition of 鲅

IDS Structure⿰鱼犮
Full Character
=
Yu2
left
ba2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鲅?

Write 鲅

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 鲅

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese cuisine, fresh seafood is highly valued, and dishes featuring 鲅 can often be found in coastal regions. The mackerel is appreciated for its flavor and is a popular choice in many traditional recipes.

Word Family of 鲅

Words Containing This Character3
Japanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius)
鲅鱼Japanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius)鮁魚
鲅鱼圈区Bayuquan district of Yingkou City 營口市|营口市, Liaoning鮁魚圈區
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 鲅 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鲅

It is pronounced as 'bà' with a falling tone.