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蚵 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蚵éoysterzg, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #77484, Very Hard
蚵éoyster (Taiwanese)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #77484, Very Hard
蚵héoysterzg, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #77484, Very Hard
蚵héoyster (Taiwanese)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #77484, Very Hard
hé(he2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1oyster
  2. 2oyster (Taiwanese)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蚵hé(he2)

The character 蚵 (hé) refers to 'oyster', particularly in the context of Taiwanese cuisine. It is commonly used in discussions about seafood dishes and represents a popular ingredient in various local delicacies.

Strokes11Radical虫Frequency#77484DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Taiwanese culture, oysters play a significant role in local cuisine, often featured in dishes like oyster omelets and soups, reflecting the island's rich maritime heritage and love for seafood.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant oyster (蚵) happily swimming in the ocean, its shell resembling a protective home. The '虫' radical, meaning insect or creature, suggests it's a living organism, while the '可' component implies it's something desirable to eat.

Meanings of 蚵

hé(he2)
primary
1oyster
2oyster (Taiwanese)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蚵

蚵Simplified
11Strokes
虫Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蚵

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蚵

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蚵

Quick Contrast

蚝 (háo) vs 蚵 (hé) — use 蚝 for 'oyster' in a broader culinary context, while 蚵 specifically refers to Taiwanese oysters.

Usage Notes

When using 蚵, it is important to be aware of its regional usage, primarily in Taiwan. Common collocations include 蚵仔 (hé zǎi), meaning 'small oysters', and it is often used in informal conversations about food. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Though 蚵 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects well with other food-related terms. Students at this level should focus on vocabulary related to dining and culinary contexts to enhance their conversational skills.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蚵 with other seafood terms like 鱼 (yú, fish) or 虾 (xiā, shrimp). A common mistake is saying '我喜欢鱼' (wǒ xǐ huān yú, 'I like fish') when they mean to say they like oysters. The correct phrase would be '我喜欢蚵' (wǒ xǐ huān hé).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蚵

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Etymology of 蚵

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

mollusk

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蚵

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half可 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymollusk
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 蚵? 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 蚵?

Decomposition of 蚵

IDS Structure⿰虫可
蚵Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
可ke3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蚵?

How to say oyster in Chinese

“oyster” in Chinese is蚵é

The character 蚵 (hé) refers to 'oyster', particularly in the context of Taiwanese cuisine. It is commonly used in discussions about seafood dishes and represents a popular ingredient in various local delicacies.

When to use 蚵

When using 蚵, it is important to be aware of its regional usage, primarily in Taiwan. Common collocations include 蚵仔 (hé zǎi), meaning 'small oysters', and it is often used in informal conversations about food. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words.

蚵 or something close to it

蚝 (háo) vs 蚵 (hé) — use 蚝 for 'oyster' in a broader culinary context, while 蚵 specifically refers to Taiwanese oysters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蚵 with other seafood terms like 鱼 (yú, fish) or 虾 (xiā, shrimp). A common mistake is saying '我喜欢鱼' (wǒ xǐ huān yú, 'I like fish') when they mean to say they like oysters. The correct phrase would be '我喜欢蚵' (wǒ xǐ huān hé).

Write 蚵

蚵

Practice writing 蚵 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 蚵

Words Containing This Character1
蚵héoyster (Taiwanese)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 蚵 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蚵

You pronounce 蚵 as 'hé', with a rising tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蚵?

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