鮐 (tái) - mackerel & a type of fish

鮐Tone 2

tái ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

树檀

鮐 · tái

mackerel;

a type of fish;

also refers to elderly people in classical texts due to the character's association with longevity.

mackerela type of fishalso refers to elderly people in classical texts

Usage highlights

mackerel fishmackerel backdried mackerelgrilled mackerelmackerel sushisalted mackerel

Synonyms

  • 鯖— mackerel (alternative character)
  • 青花魚— Japanese Spanish mackerel

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The mackerel (鮐魚) is a popular fish in East Asian cuisine.
  • In ancient texts, elderly people were metaphorically called 'mackerel-backs' (鮐背) to describe their aged appearance.
  • This restaurant specializes in grilled mackerel (烤鮐魚).
  • The fish market had fresh mackerel (新鮮鮐魚) today.

Collocations

  • mackerel fish(鮐魚)
  • mackerel back(鮐背)
  • dried mackerel(鮐乾)
  • grilled mackerel(烤鮐魚)
  • mackerel sushi(鮐壽司)
  • salted mackerel(鹽鮐)

Idioms

  • Mackerel back and child's teeth(鮐背齯齒)
  • Yellow hair and mackerel back(黃髮鮐背)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese literature, 'mackerel back' (鮐背) was a poetic term for elderly people, describing the spotted skin of old age that resembles mackerel patterns.
  • The character appears in ancient texts like 'The Book of Rites' (禮記) as a metaphor for longevity and advanced age.
  • Mackerel has been an important food fish in Chinese coastal regions for centuries.

FAQ