鯽 (zéi) - Crucian carp — a common freshwater fish species

鯽Tone 2

zéi ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

悦丈

鯽 · zéi

Crucian carp — a common freshwater fish species (Carassius auratus) widely distributed in East Asia, known for its hardiness and importance in Chinese cuisine.

Crucian carp — a common freshwater fish species

Usage highlights

crucian carpcrucian carp soupfishing for crucian carpsteamed crucian carpbraised crucian carpcrucian carp roe

Synonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We caught several crucian carp (鯽魚) from the pond.
  • Crucian carp soup (鯽魚湯) is a popular dish in Chinese cuisine.
  • The aquarium has a tank dedicated to crucian carp (鯽魚).
  • He specializes in fishing for crucian carp (釣鯽魚).

Collocations

  • crucian carp(鯽魚)
  • crucian carp soup(鯽魚湯)
  • fishing for crucian carp(釣鯽魚)
  • steamed crucian carp(清蒸鯽魚)
  • braised crucian carp(紅燒鯽魚)
  • crucian carp roe(鯽魚子)

Idioms

  • As common as crucian carp crossing the river(過江之鯽)
  • Crucian carp leaping over the dragon gate(鯽躍龍門)
  • Crucian carp in a dried up rut(涸轍之鯽)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Crucian carp is one of the most common and important freshwater food fish in China.
  • The idiom 'as common as crucian carp crossing the river' describes something extremely numerous or commonplace.
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, crucian carp soup is believed to have nourishing properties and is often recommended for postpartum recovery.
  • The fish symbolizes abundance and fertility in Chinese culture due to its high reproductive rate.

FAQ