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蛎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蛎lìoysterg, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #42947, Very Hard
lì(li4) T4
  1. 1oyster
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蛎(蠣)lì(li4)

The character 蛎 (lì) refers specifically to 'oyster,' a type of shellfish commonly found in coastal waters. It is often used in culinary contexts, especially in seafood dishes, and can symbolize delicacy and luxury in Chinese cuisine.

Strokes11Radical虫Frequency#42947DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, oysters are often associated with coastal regions and are considered a delicacy. They are sometimes used in traditional dishes during festivals or special occasions, highlighting their importance in Chinese seafood cuisine.

Memory Tip

Imagine an oyster sitting on a plate, with its shell slightly open, revealing its soft, delicious interior. The character 蛎 looks like a shell (the outer part) and a 'li' (pronounced like 'lee'), which can remind you of the sound and the image of enjoying oysters at a seaside feast.

Meanings of 蛎

lì(li4)
1oyster
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蛎

蛎Simplified
蠣Traditional
11Strokes
虫Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蛎

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Podcast: 蛎

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AI Study Notes for 蛎

Usage Notes

When using 蛎, be aware that it is more commonly used in formal or culinary contexts rather than in casual conversation. A common mistake is confusing it with other shellfish; remember, 蛎 specifically denotes oysters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蛎 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be useful in HSK Level 3 and above when discussing food and dining. Students should focus on contextual usage in menus or when discussing seafood.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蛎 with other types of shellfish like 螺 (luó) which means snail. Remember, 蛎 specifically means oyster, so using it incorrectly, like saying 螺 for oysters, is a common error.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蛎

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Etymology of 蛎

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

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 厉 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蠣.

Memory Hint

mollusk

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蛎

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 厉 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蠣.

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half厉 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 蛎? 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 蛎?

Decomposition of 蛎

IDS Structure⿰虫厉
蛎Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
厉Li4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蛎?

How to say oyster in Chinese

“oyster” in Chinese is蛎lì

The character 蛎 (lì) refers specifically to 'oyster,' a type of shellfish commonly found in coastal waters. It is often used in culinary contexts, especially in seafood dishes, and can symbolize delicacy and luxury in Chinese cuisine.

When to use 蛎

When using 蛎, be aware that it is more commonly used in formal or culinary contexts rather than in casual conversation. A common mistake is confusing it with other shellfish; remember, 蛎 specifically denotes oysters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蛎 with other types of shellfish like 螺 (luó) which means snail. Remember, 蛎 specifically means oyster, so using it incorrectly, like saying 螺 for oysters, is a common error.

Write 蛎

蛎

Practice writing 蛎 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 蛎

蛎 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

渔民们害怕宝贵的牡____和贻贝层会被破坏。

Fishermen fear valuable oyster and mussel beds could be decimated.

Example Sentences for 蛎 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
渔民们害怕宝贵的牡蛎和贻贝层会被破坏。

yú mín mén hài pà bǎo guì de mǔ lì hé yí bèi céng huì bèi pò huài。

Fishermen fear valuable oyster and mussel beds could be decimated.

Word Family of 蛎

Words Containing This Character3
牡蛎oyster牡蠣
蛎lìoyster蠣
蛎黄the flesh of oyster蠣黃
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 牡蛎 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蛎

It is pronounced as 'lì'.

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