How to Write 鲇 (nián) — Meaning “Catfish”

Imagine a catfish that 'occupies' (占) the water like a fish (鱼) – the right part 占 looks like a fish with a flat head, just like a catfish. So remember: fish + occupy = a fish that stays in one spot, like a catfish waiting for prey.

When writing 鲇, first write the left radical 鱼 with careful strokes: start with the top hook, then the middle, and finish with the bottom horizontal line. Then add the right part 占, making sure the vertical stroke on its left lines up with the middle of the fish radical, and keep the right part compact so the character stays balanced.

鲇 (catfish) has 鱼 on the left and 占 on the right, while 鱿 (squid) uses 尤 on the right. Their meanings are completely different – one is a freshwater fish, the other a sea creature. 鲁 (lǔ, meaning 'rude' or referring to Shandong province) has 鱼 on top and 曰 below, so its structure and usage are unrelated to catfish.

鲇 appears mostly on restaurant menus for dishes like 鲇鱼汤 (catfish soup) or 大鲇鱼 (large catfish). It is also used in fishing contexts or descriptions of freshwater fish. In Chinese culture, catfish is often enjoyed in spicy Sichuan or Jiangsu-style cooking, but the character itself is not common in everyday conversation.

Common words containing 鲇 include: 鲇鱼 (nián yú) — Catfish; 鲇鱼汤 (nián yú tāng) — Catfish soup; 大鲇鱼 (dà nián yú) — Large catfish.