How to Write 鲥 (shí) — Meaning “Reeves shad”

Imagine a fish (鱼) that only appears at a certain time (时) of year — that is the seasonal Reeves shad. You can picture a calendar with a fish symbol on a special date to link the meaning of "time" and "fish." This visual trick helps you recall that 鲥 refers to a fish tied to a specific season.

Pay attention to the left-right balance: the 鱼 radical on the left is narrower, taking about one-third of the width, while the 时 component on the right is wider. A common mistake is making the 时 part too tall — the left side should be slightly shorter. Also ensure the bottom horizontal stroke of 鱼 does not extend into the right side.

鲥 (shí) is a specific fish called Reeves shad, known for its seasonal migration and delicate flavor, while 鲅 (bà) refers to Spanish mackerel and 鲆 (píng) refers to flatfish like flounder. Visually, 鲥 uses the phonetic 时 on the right, 鲅 uses 发 on the right, and 鲆 uses 平 on the right. Each character represents a different type of fish with distinct appearances and tastes.

鲥 is most commonly seen in food-related contexts, especially in the phrase 鲥鱼 (shí yú, Reeves shad) and the dish 清蒸鲥鱼 (steamed Reeves shad), which is a seasonal delicacy in Chinese cuisine. Because shad has many small bones, it is often steamed whole and eaten carefully. The character is rarely used outside of cooking or discussing this specific fish.

Common words containing 鲥 include: 鲥鱼 (shí yú) — Reeves shad; 清蒸鲥鱼 (qīng zhēng shí yú) — Steamed reeves shad.; 买鲥鱼 (mǎi shí yú) — to buy shad.