虾 (xiā) - shrimp, prawn, lobster — various small crustaceans with

虾Tone 1

xiā ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

虾 · xiā

shrimp, prawn, lobster — various small crustaceans with elongated bodies, primarily living in water.

shrimp, prawn, lobster — various small crustaceans with

Usage highlights

shrimplobsterprawndried shrimpshrimp pasteshrimp ball

Synonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I like to eat shrimp (虾).
  • This dish has lobster (龙虾).
  • He is allergic to prawns (对虾过敏).
  • We bought fresh shrimp from the market (从市场买了鲜虾).

Collocations

  • shrimp(虾)
  • lobster(龙虾)
  • prawn(对虾)
  • dried shrimp(虾米)
  • shrimp paste(虾酱)
  • shrimp ball(虾球)

Idioms

  • A shrimp soldier and a crab general — incompetent leadership(虾兵蟹将)
  • A big fish eats small fish, a small fish eats shrimp — the strong prey on the weak(大鱼吃小鱼，小鱼吃虾米)
  • A shrimp in a well — a person with a limited outlook(井底之虾)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Shrimp are a common ingredient in Chinese cuisine, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune.
  • In Chinese mythology, shrimp soldiers often serve as minor troops in the underwater armies of the Dragon King.
  • The idiom '虾兵蟹将' is used to describe ineffective or incompetent subordinates.

FAQ