How to Write 鲽 (dié) — Meaning “Flatfish / Flounder”

Imagine a flatfish lying on a dinner plate, and it looks like a "die" (dice) because it is flat and square. The left side 鱼 reminds you it is a fish, and the right side 巤 looks like a net or pattern that flattens it. This visual helps link the meaning "flatfish" to the shape and sound "dié."

Write the left radical 鱼 first (8 strokes), then the right side 巤 (9 strokes) — top part 巛 (three vertical strokes) then bottom part 豕 (pig radical). A common mistake is to mix up the order of strokes in the right side, especially forgetting the dot inside 豕. Keep the character balanced horizontally, with the left side slightly narrower.

鲽 (flatfish) has the complex right side 巤, while 鲠 (fishbone) has 更 on the right, and 鲡 (eel) has 丽. Visually, 鲽 looks more crowded with many strokes on the right. In meaning, 鲽 refers to a specific fish, 鲠 means a fish bone or obstruction, and 鲡 is a long eel-like fish.

鲽 appears mainly in words related to flatfish, such as 鲽鱼 (flatfish or flounder) and 鲽鱼片 (flounder fillet), often seen on menus. It is not common in everyday conversation but is used in marine biology and cuisine, especially in Japanese dishes like hirame. The character is also part of the term 鲽类, which refers to all flatfish species.

Common words containing 鲽 include: 鲽鱼 (dié yú) — Flounder; 鲽鱼片 (dié yú piàn) — Flounder fillet; 鲽类 (dié lèi) — Flatfish species.