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鴨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鴨yāduck; Anas species (various)x, 16 strokes, radical 鳥, rank #60245, Very Hard
yā(ya1) T1
  1. 1duck; Anas species (various)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鴨yā(ya1)

The character 鴨 (yā) refers to a duck, specifically various species within the Anas genus. It is commonly used in contexts related to food, especially in dishes like Peking duck, and in discussions about wildlife or agriculture.

Strokes16Radical鳥Frequency#60245DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, duck is a popular dish, particularly in Peking duck, which is a traditional dish famous for its crispy skin and flavorful meat. This dish is often served during special occasions and celebrations.

Memory Tip

Imagine a duck (鴨) quacking in a yard (the 'y' sound in yā). The character has a 'bird' radical (鳥) at the bottom, indicating it relates to avian species, making it easier to remember that it refers to a type of bird.

Meanings of 鴨

yā(ya1)
1duck; Anas species (various)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鴨

鴨Simplified
16Strokes
鳥Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鴨

JasonAmy

Podcast: 鴨

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 鴨

Quick Contrast

鸭 (yā) refers specifically to domesticated ducks, while 鴨 (yā) can refer to both wild and domesticated ducks, making it more general.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 鴨 with similar characters like 鴿 (gē, pigeon) or 鳥 (niǎo, bird) which might appear in similar contexts. 鴨 is generally used in both formal and informal settings, but is especially common in culinary discussions.

HSK Study Tips

While 鴨 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it is beneficial for learners at the HSK 3-4 level who are expanding their vocabulary related to food and animals. Students should focus on pronunciation and usage in context.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鴨 with 鳥 (niǎo), which means 'bird' in general. Remember that 鴨 specifically refers to ducks, so use it when talking about that particular type of bird.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鴨

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Etymology of 鴨

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

Phonosemantic compound. 鸟 represents the meaning and 甲 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鴨.

Memory Hint

bird

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鴨

Phonosemantic compound. 鸟 represents the meaning and 甲 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鴨.

  1. 1The meaning half鳥 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half甲 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybird
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 鴨? 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 鴨?

Decomposition of 鴨

IDS Structure⿰甲鳥
鴨Full Character
=
甲jia3
left
鳥niao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鴨?

How to say duck; Anas species (various) in Chinese

“duck; Anas species (various)” in Chinese is鴨yā

The character 鴨 (yā) refers to a duck, specifically various species within the Anas genus. It is commonly used in contexts related to food, especially in dishes like Peking duck, and in discussions about wildlife or agriculture.

When to use 鴨

Be careful not to confuse 鴨 with similar characters like 鴿 (gē, pigeon) or 鳥 (niǎo, bird) which might appear in similar contexts. 鴨 is generally used in both formal and informal settings, but is especially common in culinary discussions.

鴨 or something close to it

鸭 (yā) refers specifically to domesticated ducks, while 鴨 (yā) can refer to both wild and domesticated ducks, making it more general.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鴨 with 鳥 (niǎo), which means 'bird' in general. Remember that 鴨 specifically refers to ducks, so use it when talking about that particular type of bird.

Write 鴨

鴨

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 鴨

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, ducks are often seen as common wildlife, while in Chinese culture, they hold a significant place in culinary traditions, especially in festive meals.

Word Family of 鴨

Words Containing This Character20
鸭yāduck鴨
鸭子yāziduck鴨子
鸭梨Chinese white pear (Pyrus × bretschneideri)鴨梨
烤鸭kǎoyāroast duck烤鴨
野鸭wild duck野鴨
唐老鸭Donald Duck唐老鴨
鸭绿江Yalu River, forming part of the China-Korea border鴨綠江
鸭舌帽peaked cap鴨舌帽
板鸭pressed (dried) salted duck板鴨
鸭嘴兽platypus鴨嘴獸
北京烤鸭Peking Duck北京烤鴨
旱鸭子non-swimmer旱鴨子
填鸭式force feeding (as a teaching method)填鴨式
双鸭山Shuangyashan prefecture level city in Heilongjiang province 黑龍江|黑龙江[Hēi​lóng​jiāng] in northeast China雙鴨山
鸭掌duck feet (claws)鴨掌
赶鸭子上架lit. to drive a duck onto a perch (idiom)趕鴨子上架
双鸭山市Shuangyashan prefecture level city in Heilongjiang province 黑龍江|黑龙江[Hēi​lóng​jiāng] in northeast China雙鴨山市
填鸭to force-feed ducks填鴨
家鸭domestic duck家鴨
吃鸭蛋(fig.) to score 0 (on a test, in competition etc)吃鴨蛋
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 鸭 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鴨

It is pronounced as 'yā'.

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