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海鲜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
海鲜hǎixiānseafoodHSK 5, ns, rank #10132, Hard
hǎixiān(hai3xian1) T3
  1. 1seafood
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March 24, 2026
海鲜(海鮮)hǎixiān(hai3xian1)

海鲜 (hǎi xiān) refers to seafood, which includes a variety of edible marine organisms such as fish, shellfish, and seaweed. It is commonly used in contexts related to food, restaurants, and culinary discussions, especially in coastal regions of China where fresh seafood is abundant.

Frequency#10132DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

Seafood plays a significant role in Chinese cuisine, especially in coastal provinces where dishes like steamed fish and seafood hot pots are popular. Festivals such as the Dragon Boat Festival often feature seafood dishes.

Memory Tip

Think of '海' (hǎi) as the ocean, where seafood comes from, and '鲜' (xiān) meaning fresh. Imagine diving into the ocean to catch fresh seafood, which can help you remember the pronunciation and meaning.

Meanings of 海鲜

hǎixiān(hai3xian1)
1seafood
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 海鲜

海鲜Simplified
海鮮Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#10132Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 海鲜

JasonAmy

Podcast: 海鲜

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AI Study Notes for 海鲜

Quick Contrast

鱼 (yú, fish) — use 海鲜 for a broader category that includes various marine foods, while 鱼 refers specifically to fish.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of '海' (hǎi) as the ocean, where seafood comes from, and '鲜' (xiān) meaning fresh. Imagine diving into the ocean to catch fresh seafood, which can help you remember the pronunciation and meaning.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the pronunciation, ensuring the tones are correct (hǎi is third tone and xiān is first). Common phrases include '海鲜市场' (hǎi xiān shì chǎng), meaning seafood market, and it's typically used in informal settings, like dining or shopping.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 海鲜 connects with other food-related vocabulary such as 食物 (shí wù - food) and 菜 (cài - dish). Focus on how to use it in various culinary contexts and practice sentences related to ordering or discussing meals.

Cultural Note

Seafood plays a significant role in Chinese cuisine, especially in coastal provinces where dishes like steamed fish and seafood hot pots are popular. Festivals such as the Dragon Boat Festival often feature seafood dishes.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 海鲜 with 海水 (hǎi shuǐ), meaning seawater. Remember, 海鲜 is about the food you eat from the sea, while 海水 refers to the water itself.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 海鲜

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Component Characters

海hǎiocean
HSK 310 strokes氵
View full entry
鲜xiānfew
HSK 414 strokes鱼
View full entry

Write 海鲜

海
鲜

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

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Grammar Patterns of 海鲜

海鲜 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 4

Complete the Sentence

____汤是一道很好的开胃菜。

Seafood soup is a good appetizer.

Example Sentences for 海鲜 (6)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
海鲜汤是一道很好的开胃菜。

hǎi xiān tāng shì yī dào hěn hǎo de kāi wèi cài。

Seafood soup is a good appetizer.
2
鱼或海鲜被抹了厚厚的纯盐腌制起来。

yú huò hǎi xiān bèi mǒ le hòu hòu de chún yán ā zhì qǐ lái。

The fish or seafood is heavily salted with pure sodium chloride.
3
鲁菜味道不是那么辣, 而且有很多海鲜.

lǔ cài wèi dào bù shì nà mó là, , ér qiě yǒu hěn duō hǎi.

Shangdong cuisine is not too spicy, and has a lot of seafood.
4
你喜欢那种菜? 辣的还是海鲜?

nǐ xǐ huān nà zhǒng cài? ? là de huán shì hǎi?

What kind of food do you like? Spicy food or seafood?
5
不要再吃海鲜, 身上再痒也不要去抓.

bù yào zài chī hǎi xiān, , shēn shàng zài yǎng yě bù yào qù.

Don't eat any seafood; don't scratch it even if it's very itchy.
6
饮酒 、 辛辣 、 海鲜 、 羊肉 、 狗肉等这些腥发之物一定要适当的忌口.

yǐn jiǔ、 、 xīn、 là 、、 hǎi xiān、 、 yáng ròu 、 gǒu ròu děng zhè xiē xīng fā zhī wù yī dìng yào shì.

Alcohol, spicy, seafood, lamb, dog hair, etc. These things must be fishy proper diet.

Cultural Notes for 海鲜

🏮Cultural insight

Seafood plays a significant role in Chinese cuisine, especially in coastal provinces where dishes like steamed fish and seafood hot pots are popular. Festivals such as the Dragon Boat Festival often feature seafood dishes.

Frequently Asked Questions about 海鲜

No, 海鲜 refers to all types of seafood, including shellfish and seaweed, not just fish.