How to Write 鳊 (biān) — Meaning “bream”

Picture a fish (鱼) that is pressed down flat like a pancake (扁) – that is your bream. The left side is the fish, and the right side looks like a flat, squashed shape. This image helps you connect the character to its meaning of a flat-bodied fish.

The left radical 鱼 has 8 strokes: write the top "⺈" first, then the middle "田"-like part, and finally the bottom horizontal. The right side 扁 has 9 strokes: start with the dot on top, then the outer frame and the inner vertical strokes. A common mistake is making the 鱼 radical too wide – keep it narrow so the whole character stays balanced.

鳊 (biān) means bream, a flat freshwater fish. 鲠 (gěng) means a fish bone or refers to something sticking in the throat, and its right side is 更. 鲡 (lí) is used in the word for eel (鳗鲡), and its right side is 丽. Visually, the right parts are completely different, so focus on 扁 for bream.

鳊 is most often seen in the word 鳊鱼 (biān yú), meaning bream, which is a common freshwater fish in Chinese cuisine. A popular dish is 清蒸鳊鱼 (steamed bream), where the fish is steamed whole with ginger and scallions. In everyday conversation, you will mainly encounter 鳊 when talking about eating or buying this fish.

Common words containing 鳊 include: 鳊鱼 (biān yú) — bream; 清蒸鳊鱼 (qīng zhēng biān yú) — Steamed bream.; 鳊鱼片 (biān yú piàn) — bream fillets.