How to Write 鳀 (tí) — Meaning “Anchovy”

Think of the phrase "This IS a fish" because 是 (shì) means 'is' and 鱼 means 'fish.' Since anchovies are small, you can also imagine a tiny fish saying "I am (是) a fish (鱼), and I am an anchovy!" This links the parts to the meaning.

Pay attention to the right side 是: the top is 日 (rì, 'sun') not 曰 (yuē, 'to say'), and there is a horizontal stroke below it before the 止 part. Also, the final downward stroke (捺) in 是 should extend slightly below the left radical 鱼 to keep the character balanced.

鳀 (tí) has the right side 是 (shì), while 鲠 (gěng) has 更 (gèng) meaning 'more' and refers to a fishbone or choking. 鲡 (lí) has 丽 (lì) on the right and means 'eel.' Visually, 是 has a 日 at the top, 更 has a horizontal stroke above 曰, and 丽 is more symmetrical.

鳀 appears mainly in food-related words like 鳀鱼 (anchovy) and 鳀鱼酱 (anchovy sauce/paste). Anchovy sauce is a common seasoning in Chinese cooking, especially in coastal regions, and is used to add umami flavor to dishes like stir-fries or dipping sauces. The character itself is not common in everyday writing, but you will see it on food labels and restaurant menus.

Common words containing 鳀 include: 鳀鱼 (tí yú) — Anchovy; 鳀鱼酱 (tí yú jiàng) — Anchovy sauce / paste; 鳀类 (tí lèi) — Anchovy species.