蝦 meaning and stroke order
Shrimp, prawn
How to write 蝦, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 蝦
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- shrimp
- prawn
- used in 蝦蟆|虾蟆[ha2 ma5]
How 蝦 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Insect.
虫 gives the meaning and 叚 hints at the sound.
Radical: 虫 (insect), shared by 197 characters on this site.
How to remember 蝦
蝦 combines 虫 (insect, small creature) on the left with 叚 (jiǎ) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture a small 虫-like creature with a curled body and many legs, and you have a shrimp.
蝦 is the traditional form, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Mainland China writes it 虾. It appears in many seafood words such as 龍蝦 (lóngxiā, lobster) and 大蝦 (dàxiā, prawn). Example: 我想吃蝦。(Wǒ xiǎng chī xiā.) I want to eat shrimp.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse the right side 叚 with similar shapes, or mix up 蝦 with 假 (jiǎ, fake), which shares the same component but uses 亻 instead of 虫. Remember that the 虫 side marks the animal.
Common words with 蝦
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 龍蝦 | lóngxiā | lobster | |
| 蝦米 | xiāmǐ | small shrimp; dried, shelled shrimps; (Tw) (coll.) what (from Taiwanese 啥物, Tai-lo pr. [si | |
| 磷蝦 | línxiā | krill | |
| 大蝦 | dàxiā | prawn; (Internet slang) expert |
Questions about 蝦
How many strokes are in 蝦?
蝦 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 蝦 mean?
蝦 (xiā) means shrimp, prawn. A common word with it is 龙虾 (lóngxiā), meaning "lobster".
How do you pronounce 蝦?
蝦 is pronounced xiā, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 蝦?
The radical of 蝦 is 虫, which carries the idea of "insect". Dictionaries list 蝦 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 蝦?
蝦 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 虾, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Does 蝦 have another pronunciation?
Yes. In the word 蝦蟆 (háma), an old word for a toad or frog, it is read há. In almost every other case, including all the seafood words, it is xiā.
Why does 大蝦 sometimes mean expert online?
In internet slang, 大蝦 (dàxiā) is a playful pun on 大俠 (dàxiá), a great hero or martial artist. People use it to call someone highly skilled, especially at computers or online topics.