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鳍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鳍qífinn, 18 strokes, radical 鱼, rank #15834, Very Hard
qí(qi2) T2
  1. 1fin
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鳍(鰭)qí(qi2)

The character 鳍 (qí) refers to a fin, which is a limb used by aquatic animals, such as fish, to propel themselves through water. This term is commonly used in discussions about marine biology, fishing, and culinary contexts, particularly when referring to fish dishes. It may also be used metaphorically in certain contexts to denote something that aids movement or stability.

Strokes18Radical鱼Frequency#15834DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese cuisine, fish is often served with its fins intact, as they symbolize good fortune and prosperity during festive occasions. 鳍 (qí) thus carries cultural significance beyond its biological meaning.

Memory Tip

Think of 鳍 (qí) as a fish's 'key' to swimming, with the top part resembling a fish's dorsal fin and the radical 鳥 (bird) indicating its connection to aquatic life. Remember that 'qí' sounds like 'key,' which can help you visualize how fins are essential for fish to navigate their watery world.

Meanings of 鳍

qí(qi2)
1fin
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鳍

鳍Simplified
鰭Traditional
18Strokes
鱼Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鳍

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Podcast: 鳍

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AI Study Notes for 鳍

Quick Contrast

鳍 (fin) vs 触 (tentacle) — use 鳍 when referring specifically to the limb of fish, while 触 is used for limbs of certain invertebrates.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 鳍 (qí) with other similar sounding words related to fish, such as 鱼 (yú), which means fish itself. It is primarily used in formal contexts, such as scientific discussions or culinary descriptions, and is less common in everyday conversation. Be cautious with the tone, as a mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鳍 (qí) is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, it connects well with other HSK 3-4 level words related to animals and nature. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in context, particularly in texts discussing marine life or fish-related topics.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鳍 (qí) with 鱼 (yú) due to their thematic similarity. For example, saying '我喜欢鳍' (wǒ xǐhuān qí) instead of '我喜欢鱼' (wǒ xǐhuān yú) can lead to confusion, as the former means 'I like fins' rather than 'I like fish.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鳍

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Etymology of 鳍

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

Phonosemantic compound. 鱼 represents the meaning and 耆 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鰭.

Memory Hint

fish

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鳍

Phonosemantic compound. 鱼 represents the meaning and 耆 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鰭.

  1. 1The meaning half鱼 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half耆 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 鳍? 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 鳍?

Decomposition of 鳍

IDS Structure⿰鱼耆
鳍Full Character
=
鱼Yu2
left
耆qi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鳍?

How to say fin in Chinese

“fin” in Chinese is鳍qí

The character 鳍 (qí) refers to a fin, which is a limb used by aquatic animals, such as fish, to propel themselves through water. This term is commonly used in discussions about marine biology, fishing, and culinary contexts, particularly when referring to fish dishes. It may also be used metaphorically in certain contexts to denote something that aids movement or stability.

When to use 鳍

Learners often confuse 鳍 (qí) with other similar sounding words related to fish, such as 鱼 (yú), which means fish itself. It is primarily used in formal contexts, such as scientific discussions or culinary descriptions, and is less common in everyday conversation. Be cautious with the tone, as a mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings.

鳍 or something close to it

鳍 (fin) vs 触 (tentacle) — use 鳍 when referring specifically to the limb of fish, while 触 is used for limbs of certain invertebrates.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鳍 (qí) with 鱼 (yú) due to their thematic similarity. For example, saying '我喜欢鳍' (wǒ xǐhuān qí) instead of '我喜欢鱼' (wǒ xǐhuān yú) can lead to confusion, as the former means 'I like fins' rather than 'I like fish.'

Write 鳍

鳍

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 鳍

鳍 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.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

鱼的腹____

a fish's ventral fin

Example Sentences for 鳍 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
鱼的腹鳍

yú de fù qí

a fish's ventral fin
Exercise 1 of 1

Reorder the Sentence

a fish's ventral fin

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Word Family of 鳍

Words Containing This Character7
鳍qífin鰭
白鳍豚Chinese river dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer)白鰭豚
背鳍dorsal fin背鰭
尾鳍tail or caudal fin尾鰭
胸鳍pectoral fin胸鰭
腹鳍ventral fin腹鰭
臀鳍anal fin臀鰭
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 鳍 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鳍

It is pronounced as 'qí', with a rising tone, similar to the English word 'key'.

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