鸳 meaning and stroke order
Male mandarin duck (Aix galericulata)
How to write 鸳, stroke by stroke
10 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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- 10
Meaning of 鸳
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- mandarin duck
How 鸳 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bird.
鸟 gives the meaning and 夗 hints at the sound.
Radical: 鸟 (bird), shared by 72 characters on this site.
How to remember 鸳
The bottom part 鸟 (niǎo) means bird, and the top part 夗 (yuàn) gives the sound yuān. Picture a bird sitting under its sound tag: this is the yuān bird, the mandarin duck.
鸳 almost never appears alone. It lives in the word 鸳鸯 (yuānyāng), the mandarin duck, which is also a common image for a loving couple. Example: 他们是一对鸳鸯。(Tāmen shì yí duì yuānyāng.) They are a devoted couple.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top as 死 or 夕 plus 已 incorrectly; the top is 夗, a 夕 next to a 㔾 shape. Also do not confuse 鸳 (yuān) with 鸯 (yāng), which has 央 on top.
Common words with 鸳
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 鸳鸯 | yuānyāng | (bird species of China) mandarin duck (Aix galericulata); (fig.) affectionate couple; happ |
Questions about 鸳
How many strokes are in 鸳?
鸳 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 鸳 mean?
鸳 (yuān) means male mandarin duck (Aix galericulata). A common word with it is 鸳鸯 (yuānyāng), meaning "(bird species of China) mandarin duck (Aix galericulata); (fig.) affectionate couple; happ".
How do you pronounce 鸳?
鸳 is pronounced yuān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 鸳?
The radical of 鸳 is 鸟, which carries the idea of "bird". Dictionaries list 鸳 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 鸳?
The traditional form of 鸳 is 鴛. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 鸳 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 鸳 and 鸯?
Traditionally 鸳 refers to the male mandarin duck and 鸯 to the female. In modern Chinese they are used together as 鸳鸯 for the bird or a couple.
Why are mandarin ducks a symbol of love in Chinese?
Mandarin ducks are often seen swimming in pairs, so 鸳鸯 became a figure for an affectionate couple. You will see the image on wedding gifts and in poetry.