Meanings of 鲸
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About 鲸
Podcast: 鲸
Podcast: 鲸
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AI Study Notes for 鲸
鲸 (jīng) vs 鱼 (yú) — use 鲸 for the specific marine mammal, while 鱼 refers to fish in general.
Learners often confuse 鲸 (jīng) with other marine terms, so it's essential to remember it specifically means 'whale.' It is typically used in formal contexts, like documentaries or academic discussions. Common collocations include '鲸鱼' (jīngyú) meaning 'whale' and '蓝鲸' (lánjīng) meaning 'blue whale.'
While 鲸 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, it offers a good opportunity to connect with other marine-related terms like 鱼 (yú, fish) and 海 (hǎi, sea). Focus on pronunciation and tone to differentiate it from similar-sounding words.
Learners sometimes confuse 鲸 (jīng) with similar-sounding characters. For example, mixing it with 经 (jīng, meaning 'to pass through') is a common error. Remember that 鲸 specifically refers to whales.
Pronunciation of 鲸
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Etymology of 鲸
Phonosemantic compound. 鱼 represents the meaning and 京 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鯨.
fish
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 鲸
Phonosemantic compound. 鱼 represents the meaning and 京 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鯨.
- 1The meaning half鱼 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half京 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayfish
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 鲸? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 鲸
Identify the Components
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How to say whale in Chinese
“whale” in Chinese is鲸
The character 鲸 (jīng) refers specifically to a whale, a large marine mammal known for its size and intelligence. It is commonly used in contexts related to marine biology, conservation, and discussions about ocean wildlife. The term can evoke imagery of vast oceanic life and is often used in literature and environmental discussions.
When to use 鲸
Learners often confuse 鲸 (jīng) with other marine terms, so it's essential to remember it specifically means 'whale.' It is typically used in formal contexts, like documentaries or academic discussions. Common collocations include '鲸鱼' (jīngyú) meaning 'whale' and '蓝鲸' (lánjīng) meaning 'blue whale.'
鲸 or something close to it
鲸 (jīng) vs 鱼 (yú) — use 鲸 for the specific marine mammal, while 鱼 refers to fish in general.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 鲸 (jīng) with similar-sounding characters. For example, mixing it with 经 (jīng, meaning 'to pass through') is a common error. Remember that 鲸 specifically refers to whales.
Write 鲸
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Practice writing 鲸 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 鲸
鲸 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
挪威的捕____人说昨天他们用捕鲸叉捕获了一头雌性小须鲸。
Norwegian whalers said yesterday they had harpooned a female minke whale.
Example Sentences for 鲸 (5)
Word Family of 鲸
Compound Meaning
What does 鲸 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 鲸
The correct pronunciation is 'jīng', with a high-level tone.
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