How to Write 钓 (diào) — Meaning “To fish / To angle”

Picture a shiny metal fishing hook shaped like a small spoon (the component 勺) dropping into water. The left side 钅 reminds you it's made of metal, and the right side 勺 looks like the hook's curved end. This visual of a metal spoon-hook helps you recall both the form and meaning "to fish."

Write the left radical 钅 with the first three strokes (撇、横、横) as a slanted top, then a horizontal, then another horizontal, but keep the vertical stroke straight down. The right part 勺 starts with a scoop-like curve (撇) followed by a horizontal hook (横折钩) and a dot inside—do not confuse the dot with a second stroke. A common mistake is making the dot too large or placing it outside the hook shape.

All three share the metal radical 钅, but 钆 (gá) and 钇 (yǐ) are rare chemical element names for gadolinium and yttrium, with no everyday meaning. In contrast, 钓 (diào) is a common verb meaning "to fish" and appears in words like 钓鱼 (fishing). Visually, 钓 has the right side 勺 (spoon shape), while 钆 has 乚 (a hook-like stroke) and 钇 has 乙 (a curved stroke)—these different right parts change both pronunciation and meaning entirely.

钓 is most often used in the common phrase 钓鱼 (diào yú, to fish/fishing), both as a leisure activity and a hobby. It also appears in 钓竿 (diào gān, fishing rod) and 鱼钓 (yú diào, fishing hook/tackle). Culturally, 钓鱼 is a popular pastime in China, and there is a well-known idiom 姜太公钓鱼 (Jiāng Tàigōng diào yú) about a legendary fisherman who fishes without bait, meaning "willingly to be caught" or "to wait for one's wish to come true."

Common words containing 钓 include: 钓鱼 (diào yú) — To fish / Fishing; 钓竿 (diào gān) — Fishing rod; 鱼钓 (yú diào) — Fishing hook/tackle.