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鲕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鲕érroeg, 14 strokes, radical 鱼
鲕ércaviarunknown, 14 strokes, radical 鱼
鲕érfish roeunknown, 14 strokes, radical 鱼
ér(er2) T2
  1. 1roe
  2. 2caviar
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鲕(鮞)ér(er2)

The character 鲕 (ér) refers to fish roe or caviar, typically the eggs of fish that are considered a delicacy. It is used in culinary contexts, especially in discussions about gourmet foods and seafood dishes, where roe might be served as a topping or ingredient.

Strokes14Radical鱼
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, fish roe is often celebrated during festivals or special occasions, highlighting its status as a luxury food item. It is commonly used in dishes like sushi and is associated with prosperity and abundance in cultural symbolism.

Memory Tip

Imagine a fish swimming with its 'eggs' (ér) as a treasure. The character 鲕 combines the radical for water (氵) with a representation of fish (鱼), emphasizing its aquatic nature and its association with precious food.

Meanings of 鲕

ér(er2)
1roe
2caviar
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鲕

鲕Simplified
鮞Traditional
14Strokes
鱼Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鲕

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Podcast: 鲕

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AI Study Notes for 鲕

Quick Contrast

鱼子 (yú zǐ, fish eggs) — use 鲕 (ér) for gourmet or delicacy contexts, while 鱼子 (yú zǐ) is more general.

Usage Notes

Roe is often mentioned in culinary discussions, so it is mostly used in formal or semi-formal contexts. Common collocations include phrases like '鱼子酱' (fish roe sauce) and '鱼卵' (fish eggs). Be careful with the pronunciation, as misplacing the tone may confuse it with unrelated words.

HSK Study Tips

As a character not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it may be useful for advanced learners interested in gastronomy or regional cuisines. Focus on its connections to other food-related vocabulary to enhance culinary discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鲕 with similar characters like 鱼 (fish) or 卵 (egg). For example, saying '我想要鱼卵' (I want fish eggs) when they mean caviar may confuse native speakers, who expect a more specific term.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鲕

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Etymology of 鲕

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

fish

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鲕

  1. 1The meaning half鱼 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half而 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 鲕? 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 鲕?

Decomposition of 鲕

IDS Structure⿰鱼而
鲕Full Character
=
鱼Yu2
left
而er2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鲕?

How to say roe in Chinese

“roe” in Chinese is鲕ér

The character 鲕 (ér) refers to fish roe or caviar, typically the eggs of fish that are considered a delicacy. It is used in culinary contexts, especially in discussions about gourmet foods and seafood dishes, where roe might be served as a topping or ingredient.

When to use 鲕

Roe is often mentioned in culinary discussions, so it is mostly used in formal or semi-formal contexts. Common collocations include phrases like '鱼子酱' (fish roe sauce) and '鱼卵' (fish eggs). Be careful with the pronunciation, as misplacing the tone may confuse it with unrelated words.

鲕 or something close to it

鱼子 (yú zǐ, fish eggs) — use 鲕 (ér) for gourmet or delicacy contexts, while 鱼子 (yú zǐ) is more general.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鲕 with similar characters like 鱼 (fish) or 卵 (egg). For example, saying '我想要鱼卵' (I want fish eggs) when they mean caviar may confuse native speakers, who expect a more specific term.

Write 鲕

鲕

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 鲕

Words Containing This Character1
鲕ércaviar鮞
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 鲕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鲕

Common examples include salmon, trout, and sturgeon, each offering unique flavors.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鲕?

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.