Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
鼉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鼉tuólarge reptile, water lizardx, 25 strokes, radical 黽
tuó(tuo2) T2
  1. 1large reptile, water lizard
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鼉tuó(tuo2)

The character 鼉 (tuó) refers to a large reptile, commonly understood as a type of water lizard or giant salamander. It is often associated with aquatic environments and can evoke imagery of ancient myths or folklore related to water creatures.

Strokes25Radical黽
Cultural Note

In Chinese mythology, large water creatures like the 鼉 may symbolize power and mystery, often appearing in stories that emphasize the connection between humans and nature, particularly in water bodies.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant lizard swimming in a pond, its large body resembling a dragon. The character 鼉 has a radical that suggests 'water' (氵) and a component that resembles a creature, helping you remember that it refers to a large water-dwelling reptile.

Meanings of 鼉

tuó(tuo2)
1large reptile, water lizard
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鼉

鼉Simplified
25Strokes
黽Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鼉

JasonAmy

Podcast: 鼉

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 鼉

Usage Notes

This character is rarely used in daily conversation and may appear more in literary contexts or discussions about reptiles. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; 鼉 is quite specific in its meaning. The tone is important; ensure you pronounce it correctly as 'tuó'.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鼉 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be linked to other HSK words related to animals, especially those in HSK Level 3 and above. Focus on understanding its context in texts that discuss wildlife or folklore.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 鼉, saying it like 'tuò' with a falling tone instead of 'tuó'. Additionally, some might confuse it with related words for smaller lizards or snakes, which have different characters.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鼉

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 鼉 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 鼉

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

frog

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鼉

  1. 1The meaning half黽 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half口 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfrog
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 鼉? 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 鼉?

Decomposition of 鼉

IDS Structure⿳⿰口口⿱田一黽
鼉Full Character
=
口kou3
left
口kou3
right
田Tian2
top
一yi1
bottom
黽mian3
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鼉?

How to say large reptile, water lizard in Chinese

“large reptile, water lizard” in Chinese is鼉tuó

The character 鼉 (tuó) refers to a large reptile, commonly understood as a type of water lizard or giant salamander. It is often associated with aquatic environments and can evoke imagery of ancient myths or folklore related to water creatures.

When to use 鼉

This character is rarely used in daily conversation and may appear more in literary contexts or discussions about reptiles. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; 鼉 is quite specific in its meaning. The tone is important; ensure you pronounce it correctly as 'tuó'.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 鼉, saying it like 'tuò' with a falling tone instead of 'tuó'. Additionally, some might confuse it with related words for smaller lizards or snakes, which have different characters.

Write 鼉

鼉

Practice writing 鼉 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 鼉

Words Containing This Character1
鼍tuóChinese alligator (Alligator sinensis)鼉
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 鼍 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鼉

It refers to a large reptile, often associated with water lizards or giant salamanders.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鼉?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.