鳢
snakefish; snakehead mullet
Closest English meanings
snakehead fish
The Calligrapher — Lù Jiǎnzhī 陆柬之
Tang calligrapher and nephew of Yu Shinan; his running-script 'Essay on Literature' survives
Tang calligrapher (), master of running script — known for 《文赋》. Tang dynasty
Cultural Story
《説文解字》lists 鳢 as “鳠也,” a dark freshwater fish, built from the fish radical with the sound 豊. It is the well-known snakehead, prized in culinary and medicinal lore for its firm flesh and restorative broth. Old herbals note its dark color and tenacious life, able to survive in near-dry mud through the season.
Common words & phrases
- 乌鳢 snakehead fish
- 鳢鱼 snakehead fish
- 黑鳢 black snakehead
Read the story behind the character
The 乌鳢 (snakehead fish) dominates Chinese fish ponds and dinner tables, often simmered into soup after illness. Whether sold as 鳢鱼 or 黑鳢 (black snakehead), it is a staple of home cooking, prized by chefs for its clean white meat and by aquaculture for thriving where other fish perish.
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