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鳣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鳣shànsturgeonzg, 21 strokes, radical 鱼
鳣shànsturgeon (old)unknown, 21 strokes, radical 鱼
鳣shànAcipenser micadoiunknown, 21 strokes, radical 鱼
鳣zhānsturgeonzg, 21 strokes, radical 鱼
鳣zhānsturgeon (old)unknown, 21 strokes, radical 鱼
鳣zhānAcipenser micadoiunknown, 21 strokes, radical 鱼
shàn(shan4)
primary
T4
  1. 1sturgeon
  2. 2sturgeon (old)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鳣(鱣)shàn(shan4)

鳣 (shàn) refers to a type of fish known as sturgeon, which is valued for its roe and meat. This character is used more in literary or historical contexts, as sturgeon is not a common fish found in everyday conversations. It carries a sense of cultural significance due to its association with delicacies and traditional cuisine.

Strokes21Radical鱼
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, sturgeon is regarded as a luxury food item, often associated with high-end dining experiences. The roe of the sturgeon, known as caviar, is especially prized and symbolizes wealth and sophistication in culinary traditions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a majestic sturgeon swimming gracefully in a river. The character 鳣 resembles a fish with its fins, while the 'sh' sound in 'shàn' can remind you of 'swimming'. Picture a chef preparing a luxurious dish with sturgeon to cement this connection.

Meanings of 鳣

shàn(shan4)
primary
1sturgeon
2sturgeon (old)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鳣

鳣Simplified
鱣Traditional
21Strokes
鱼Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鳣

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Podcast: 鳣

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AI Study Notes for 鳣

Quick Contrast

鲟 (xún) - Choose 鳣 (shàn) when referring to sturgeon in a cultural or literary context, while 鲟 (xún) is more commonly used in modern contexts for the same fish.

Usage Notes

鳣 is a more formal term and may not be commonly understood by all speakers, as sturgeon is not a frequently discussed fish in casual conversation. Be mindful of using this term in appropriate contexts, like culinary discussions or literature, rather than in everyday chat about fish. Common collocations include '鳣鱼' (shàn yú) for sturgeon fish.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鳣 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to HSK Level 4 and above when discussing food and aquatic life. Students should focus on related terms like 魚 (yú - fish) and other aquatic animals to expand their vocabulary. Understanding this character may also help in reading more advanced texts about cuisine.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鳣 with similar fish-related characters, such as 鱔 (shàn). For example, saying 鱔 instead of 鳣 when referring to sturgeon could lead to misunderstandings, as they represent different fish species.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鳣

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Etymology of 鳣

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

fish

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鳣

  1. 1The meaning half鱼 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half亶 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 鳣? 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 鳣?

Decomposition of 鳣

IDS Structure⿰鱼亶
鳣Full Character
=
鱼Yu2
left
亶Dan3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鳣?

How to say sturgeon in Chinese

“sturgeon” in Chinese is鳣shàn

鳣 (shàn) refers to a type of fish known as sturgeon, which is valued for its roe and meat. This character is used more in literary or historical contexts, as sturgeon is not a common fish found in everyday conversations. It carries a sense of cultural significance due to its association with delicacies and traditional cuisine.

When to use 鳣

鳣 is a more formal term and may not be commonly understood by all speakers, as sturgeon is not a frequently discussed fish in casual conversation. Be mindful of using this term in appropriate contexts, like culinary discussions or literature, rather than in everyday chat about fish. Common collocations include '鳣鱼' (shàn yú) for sturgeon fish.

鳣 or something close to it

鲟 (xún) - Choose 鳣 (shàn) when referring to sturgeon in a cultural or literary context, while 鲟 (xún) is more commonly used in modern contexts for the same fish.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鳣 with similar fish-related characters, such as 鱔 (shàn). For example, saying 鱔 instead of 鳣 when referring to sturgeon could lead to misunderstandings, as they represent different fish species.

Write 鳣

鳣

Practice writing 鳣 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 鳣

Words Containing This Character1
鳣shànsturgeon (old)鱣
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 鳣 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鳣

It is pronounced as 'shàn'.

Jason Recommends

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